Fulfilling Your Role in the Book of Life

A perspective I have been enjoying recently is the idea of the Lord inviting us into His greater story by making us letters read of all men, as Paul writes about in the book of 2 Corinthians. The question is, are we willing to be a chapter in His story (history)? Can He use us as a faithful character in His story that goes through some valleys, and climbs some mountains, and that goes through some perils, yet is delivered in the end that people may know what He can do in their lives, if they would but follow Him as we do? This is what it means to be a witness. Many people believe being a witness is preaching the gospel, but being a witness is actually living the gospel. Also, many people seek to write their own story instead of humbling themselves to fulfill their role in the greater story of GOD. Anyone that has lived long enough, in some reasonable level of awareness, has come to realize that they don’t have control of the pen, nor do they have control of the supply of paper and ink to write their own story. YAHWEH alone is the author of all life. I have heard people say that they want to live a “drama” free life, and that is understandable coming from so many people who fail to understand that they are privileged to have been cast in a glorious story of beauty and triumph already being authored by GOD.

Christ is the script, and the Holy Spirit is in the director’s chair, our role is to follow the script and stay tuned to the director. When we submit in that way we become part of a production that glorifies GOD and ministers life to us and all those around us. We must stay humble to fulfill our role by being true to our part. We can’t covet the roles of others. We must live out the part GOD gives us each day and trust that all is going to end gloriously according to His brilliance, beauty, grace, understanding, and love. Christ said no man lights a candle to then put it in a secret place but they will set it on a candle stick so that it can give light to everyone in the house. Don’t be ashamed of your role and how you are cast in GOD’s story. Part of Joseph’s story from the book of Genesis involved him being sold into slavery and being imprisoned but all that was on the way to the place of glory that GOD had called him to. The Lord wrote it that way because He understood that it is what was needed for it to resonate with His target audience. Just like your life. If you try to hide what you are going through, then you become ineffective at reaching all those you are meant to reach. If you doubt that the story is going in the right direction and start to act out of character, you could jeopardize the glorious end that had already been scripted.

To fulfill our role we have to stay in the script, that is to say we have to abide in Christ, the Word of GOD. We also have to deny the queues of our flesh and the ways of this world to obey the directions of the Holy Spirit. When we live this way, then we please GOD by fulfilling our calling in His story. Here are some instructions given to us recorded in the letter to the Galatians, in chapter 5. Strive to make sure your life conforms to these guidelines, and you will fulfill your role in the most powerful and wonderful story ever written.

¹⁶ But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

¹⁸ But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.

¹⁹ Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,

²⁰ Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),

²¹ Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

²³ Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law that can bring a charge].

²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]

²⁶ Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another. (Galatians 5:16-26 Amplified Classic)