Joyce Meyer - What's Your Thing? - Part 1
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Ginger Stache: Hi everyone, thanks for joining us today on «Enjoying Everyday Life». You are going to love this today because we’re going to explore something specific for you. God has put gifts and talents in every one of us and those gifts aren’t just for us. They’re meant to bless us and others, but they aren’t always so easy to discover. So, on today’s program, we dig into a conversation on finding your thing.
Ginger Stache: We’re going to talk about your talents, all the wonderful things that you have to offer, and some great ways to use them. So, this is where we talk about the practical things of life, God’s word, applying it to our life. And we’re all very different. We like different things, but we all have gifts and talents in different ways that we can serve God. And sometimes, we think, «If I’m not Joyce Meyer, if I’m not just like Erin, I don’t have anything to give. I don’t know how to serve the Lord». And so, I think it’s a great conversation to talk about the things that God has put in each one of us that can come out in very, very different ways, but they can all be used for God’s kingdom in beautiful ways. Do you guys… Well, Joyce, it’s hard to even talk to you about this because…
Joyce Meyer: Well, thank you.
Ginger Stache: Because your call was just so evident. I mean, God made it so plain in your life. You knew what your gifting was, and you had a direct path, which is awesome. A lot of people don’t have it that way. So, let me look at Erin.
Erin Cluley: Thank you. Mine’s been less direct, so.
Joyce Meyer: Well, now, wait a minute. I wanna say something about what you said.
Ginger Stache: Okay, go ahead, yes.
Joyce Meyer: See, the thing that God has taught me is my teaching and preaching and writing, that’s my ministry. But I have to, in my personal life, I need to serve in normal ways, you know, just like I would tell somebody else to serve. I don’t just get to preach it to everybody else. I have to live it and do it.
Ginger Stache: Oh, see, I’m really glad you said that. That makes a lot of sense.
Erin Cluley: I think that’s an interesting point. I hope we talk about this because…
Ginger Stache: I think we can, if you want to, because you’re doing it right now.
Erin Cluley: Okay, great. Let’s talk about this.
Joyce Meyer: I think somebody had some too much spice already today.
Erin Cluley: The idea of, when I was thinking through this, how your career and like, maybe your professional calling is different from our calling for what we do for the Lord and our service to him. And how do those two intersect? Because I think as Christians and in the church, we talk a lot about like, «What’s my purpose, what’s my calling»? I was curious from your perspective, is that the same thing as what we’re called to just as Christians? We are all called to serve God in some capacity, and we’re all called to love people. And I just think sometimes we might get those things confused.
Joyce Meyer: Well, first of all, I think that people think of ministry as always having to be something «Spiritual». And here’s the thing, anything that you’re doing for God is spiritual. Even if it’s something that wouldn’t ordinarily be considered spiritual, you know. I mean, if you’re going to the grocery store and you’re doing it for God and you go in there with the purpose of being a blessing to people and encouraging people, and who knows, God might tell you to pay for somebody’s groceries or he might have you let somebody with two items go ahead of you, you know, that’s got a full cart. I mean, literally, there are ways to show love to people everywhere you go if you’re just open to it. And so, that trip to the grocery store can become a ministry for God. And so, this ordinary thing becomes a holy, anointed, special thing. And people don’t see that. They don’t think that, that qualifies because you’re not on a pulpit or you’re not behind a microphone.
Ginger Stache: I like the thought of that.
Erin Cluley: I do too.
Ginger Stache: So, what we wanna do right now is see what the Bible says about how we use our talents and our gifts and why it matters so much. So, here’s Joyce talking about that a little bit.
Joyce Meyer: Now, fruitfulness means: «Fertile or the quality of being prolific at producing many young». In other words, we need to be prolific at producing good things out of our life. Fruitless: «Of no advantage or good effect, vain, idle, useless, and unprofitable». Now, you’re probably familiar with the parable of the talents. How many of you are familiar with parable of the talents? In Matthew chapter 25 where the owner of the vineyard goes away and he leaves several of his servants with a certain amount of money and expected them to invest it and use it, then when he came back to give him more than what he had left 'em with. And, I’m not gonna turn to the story and tell the whole thing, but the first one invested his, got some back.
The second one did the same thing. The third one did same thing. The fourth one was afraid and he hid his in the ground. So, when the master came back, the first three he talked to, «You did a good job. Well done thou good and faithful servant». And he didn’t give all of them the same amount. He gave them according to what they could handle. So, God doesn’t expect the same thing out of all of us. We’re not all called to write 120 books. We’re not all called to do the same thing. We’re not all called to be able to sing like Phil does. But whatever we can do, it’s a gift that God put in us. And he put it in us for somebody else. Are you there? So, for me to sit out there and be jealous of somebody up here that can sing real good, is so ridiculous. Because, God didn’t give them the gift for their benefit, he put the gift in them so, you could be blessed. I tell people, God gave me a gift to speak. All it causes me to do is work. It’s for you. It’s not for me.
Now, I enjoy what I’m doing. But, I get the work part, and you get to go enjoy it. You know. You don’t have to be in the back room singing notes and practicing music and doing exercises with your voice every day. There’s work to what people do. And so, God gives us a little something what we can handle and he expects to get back more than what he gave. Because he is a God of multiplication. And to the last guy who said well, «I was afraid and I hid what you gave me. But now, here I can give you back what you gave me». God called him a, «Wicked, lazy, idle servant,» and he said, «Take it away from him and give it to the one who has the most». So, it’s very simple. You use it, or you lose it. In God’s economy, if you don’t use what God’s given you, then he will get somebody else to do what you have the opportunity to do. Every one of you are in ministry. I now announce to you that every one of you, if you’re a believer, you are ordained for ministry, amen?
The second one did the same thing. The third one did same thing. The fourth one was afraid and he hid his in the ground. So, when the master came back, the first three he talked to, «You did a good job. Well done thou good and faithful servant». And he didn’t give all of them the same amount. He gave them according to what they could handle. So, God doesn’t expect the same thing out of all of us. We’re not all called to write 120 books. We’re not all called to do the same thing. We’re not all called to be able to sing like Phil does. But whatever we can do, it’s a gift that God put in us. And he put it in us for somebody else. Are you there? So, for me to sit out there and be jealous of somebody up here that can sing real good, is so ridiculous. Because, God didn’t give them the gift for their benefit, he put the gift in them so, you could be blessed. I tell people, God gave me a gift to speak. All it causes me to do is work. It’s for you. It’s not for me.
Now, I enjoy what I’m doing. But, I get the work part, and you get to go enjoy it. You know. You don’t have to be in the back room singing notes and practicing music and doing exercises with your voice every day. There’s work to what people do. And so, God gives us a little something what we can handle and he expects to get back more than what he gave. Because he is a God of multiplication. And to the last guy who said well, «I was afraid and I hid what you gave me. But now, here I can give you back what you gave me». God called him a, «Wicked, lazy, idle servant,» and he said, «Take it away from him and give it to the one who has the most». So, it’s very simple. You use it, or you lose it. In God’s economy, if you don’t use what God’s given you, then he will get somebody else to do what you have the opportunity to do. Every one of you are in ministry. I now announce to you that every one of you, if you’re a believer, you are ordained for ministry, amen?
Ginger Stache: So, a lot of people, right now, love the idea of that, love the enthusiasm of the possibilities. But their first question is, «I don’t do those things,» you know. «I’m not a preacher». «I’m not a singer». «I don’t go to the grocery». Whatever it may be. But we do have a lot of excuses, I think, and maybe they’re not excuses as much as sometimes they’re fears or insecurities that we think there’s nothing in me that I have to offer.
Joyce Meyer: Well, part of that is just having a poor self-image. You know, you need to see yourself the way Christ sees you and not the way you’ve always seen yourself or the way other people have said that you are. But Jesus said, «The greatest among you is the servant of all». Well, what comes to our mind when we hear the word servant? «I don’t wanna be just a servant,» you know. «I wanna do something great».
Ginger Stache: Yeah, like it’s a low place.
Joyce Meyer: But Jesus said that is the greatest thing. And here’s what the definition says, «Servant presents the», and this is from the Greek. «Presents the idea of subjection without bondage». If I am your servant, I can submit to you without feeling that I’ve lost my freedom.
Erin Cluley: Hmm.
Ginger Stache: That’s interesting. Well, I’ve never heard it that way.
Erin Cluley: No, I haven’t either.
Joyce Meyer: I started to say, is that all I can get out of either one of you? «Huh».
Erin Cluley: Look at that. No, that’s a deep thought.
Joyce Meyer: I know two people that when I ask them to say something, their answer is, «My pleasure». And that just sounds so good. Not just, «Okay,» or, «Yeah».
Ginger Stache: That’s why people go to Chick-fil-A.
Joyce Meyer: They don’t just say, «Okay, yeah, hmm, whatever». It’s just, «My pleasure». And I just think that is so attractive. It actually makes you sound like the person really feels blessed in doing it. And God actually wants us to feel that way. We have to get over the idea of thinking that being a servant means you’re gonna scrub somebody’s floor. That’s not the connotation. Anytime, when I’m preaching, I’m serving you. You know, we’re serving people today by putting together this program for them. And so, servanthood is, can be anything from being friendly, to giving somebody a ride, to cooking a meal, or praying. I love the people that pray for me. I mean, I don’t know where I would be if people didn’t pray for me on a regular basis. And so, there’s no excuse for anybody to think, «Well, I just don’t have any gifts. I can’t do anything».
Ginger Stache: So, how do we find our thing? How do we find our thing…
Joyce Meyer: What do you like?
Ginger Stache: For Jesus. Okay.
Joyce Meyer: What do you like? «I like to cook». Good. Well, cook.
Erin Cluley: She’s not talking about us.
Ginger Stache: No. We are definitely not a part of this.
Joyce Meyer: You say, «I like to cook». Well, then find somebody who doesn’t like to cook but likes to eat.
Ginger Stache: Now she’s talking about us.
Joyce Meyer: Yeah.
Ginger Stache: No, that’s great. That’s true.
Erin Cluley: Very practical.
Joyce Meyer: I mean, there’s people that, I tell a story about a woman came to a pastor and said she was depressed and wanted to get a counseling appointment. So, he gave her one for about two weeks away. He said, «But there’s something I want you to do in the meantime». He said, «You know those good chocolate chip cookies you make that I love»? She said, «Yeah». He said, «I want you to make as many of them as you can and just give 'em to people». Well, she never came back for a counseling appointment. And next time he saw her, he said, «You never showed up for your appointment». She said, «Oh, after I started doing those cookies, I got so happy I wasn’t depressed anymore».
Erin Cluley: Oh, wow.
Joyce Meyer: And so…
Ginger Stache: That was her thing.
Joyce Meyer: She baked cookies. And you know, everybody has something. Everybody has something that they can do that makes somebody else happy, that puts a smile on somebody else’s face. I mean, even like, just being really friendly. Like, when we go out to eat, my husband always, he’s very friendly with the waiters and the waitresses. Sometimes it annoys me because I’m hungry and I wanna eat and he’s getting their life story, which I’m wrong. He’s right. But he always shows an interest in them. «How long have you been here»? Whatever it is. And, you know, that may be somebody that nobody ever shows them any personal interest. They just, «You’re my waiter, wait on me,» and grouch about everything they do and «You’re not fast enough,» and this and that and something else. And then here’s somebody that just «Wants to know how I am. How do I like my job? How long have I been here»? You know, a few things like that. So, being friendly can be a gift. Not being nosy, but being friendly. And everybody has gifts. It’s not just the nine gifts of the spirit that are listed in Corinthians. There’s gifts of organization, you know. I know a lot of people who would probably love it if some organized person would come and organize their life, you know.
Ginger Stache: And that might help them serve the Lord in their own way.
Joyce Meyer: Like, I have people that do that for me, you know. I’m not a disorganized person, but I don’t have time anymore to do some of the things that I used to do. And God’s provided people that help do those things for me.
Erin Cluley: I had a friend who came over, a couple weeks ago, and she organized my kitchen and the pantry. And I said, «You don’t have to do this. I mean, I hate it, but you don’t have to». And she said, «I love doing this. It’s so fun to me».
Joyce Meyer: Yeah.
Erin Cluley: So, I said, «Absolutely, you wanna come back in a month»? But you’re exactly right. Like that was, it brought her joy, brought me joy too. But…
Joyce Meyer: I asked my executive assistant, «What do you do when you have free time»? She says, «I organize my drawers». I said, «That’s what you do for entertainment»? She said, «Oh, I love it. I just love it».
Erin Cluley: I love that.
Joyce Meyer: Loves to get in there and organize. And I do it when I have to. You know, so, it’s not something I can’t do, but I wouldn’t call it my top thing. But I think when people wanna know what am I called to do, first thing to do is ask yourself, «What do I like? What do I enjoy? What am I good at»? «What do I like? What do I enjoy? What am I good at»? God is not gonna call you to do something you hate. That’s not where you’re gonna…
Ginger Stache: Do you think that’s true?
Joyce Meyer: Yes.
Ginger Stache: Like I wonder about Jonah, or, you know, he didn’t wanna go.
Joyce Meyer: Well, that was Jonah’s problem, not God’s. I mean, I said, God is not gonna call you to anything that you hate. I mean, man, you are a live wire today.
Erin Cluley: I hear what you’re saying. And I wonder sometimes…
Ginger Stache: There are times God calls you to something, maybe it’s that you don’t want to do, is different than…
Erin Cluley: Yeah.
Joyce Meyer: Jonah needed to change.
Ginger Stache: Okay, that’s fair.
Joyce Meyer: He needed to change. And maybe, God had to put him in a situation where he was gonna either change or get dealt with. And I would say getting swallowed by a whale is getting dealt with.
Ginger Stache: He got dealt with.
Erin Cluley: Yeah, I’ve had to do stuff in life that I know I was called to do. And it was serving other people. And I knew I was supposed to be doing it, but I did not like it. But I also knew I was supposed to do it. So, I also wonder, like, does he sometimes just use that as a training ground?
Joyce Meyer: Yes.
Erin Cluley: Because I needed to learn those lessons in that season that I hated.
Joyce Meyer: He uses those things to test you, to test your obedience, to test your faithfulness. And that probably wasn’t something you were called to for life.
Erin Cluley: No, thank goodness.
Ginger Stache: Oh, okay. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Erin Cluley: Yeah. So, he’s not gonna call us to do something for my long term that I am miserable with.
Ginger Stache: That you’re just, yeah, hating every day of doing.
Joyce Meyer: Yeah.
Ginger Stache: That makes a lot of sense.
Erin Cluley: It does. Because, you know, you hear that a lot, often, if you’re in a job that you hate, that God wouldn’t call you to do something you hate. But then, what about, like, sometimes, you have to provide for your family and that’s just where you have to work.
Joyce Meyer: Yeah, there’s all different kinds of ways that you can look at things like that. I don’t believe that God would call you to work at something that you hate all your life. But you might have to be there for a season, you know, like you said, to provide for your family. But, I mean, I work hard at what I’m doing and thank God, I like it. I mean, I couldn’t imagine working that hard. I mean, a passion for something is what motivates you and drives you to do it. And it’s what enables you to do it, maybe a long time after other people would have given up and quit.
Ginger Stache: And there may be a sacrifice in it.
Joyce Meyer: Yeah, there’s sacrifice in it.
Ginger Stache: We do have to sacrifice for what God asks of us often.
Joyce Meyer: Absolutely.
Ginger Stache: And it’s not always easier. I think that’s a mistake that people make. «It’s gonna go perfectly because I know God’s called me to this,» doesn’t always work that way either. But you’re not alone in it.
Joyce Meyer: I think there’s a lot of people that are just, I think there’s probably more people just called into the «Helps» ministry than all the rest of them put together. I mean, like I have a sister-in-law and she just helps people. She just helps all kinds of people. A lot of times she’ll help elderly people. She bakes for people. She just…
Ginger Stache: Yeah, that’s great.
Joyce Meyer: Wherever there’s a need, she’ll meet it, if she can. And so, I think a lot of the things that get overlooked are just the simple, quiet, but very beautiful things to God that, maybe, don’t get a lot of hand claps or get your name in the paper, but you get your name in heaven.
Ginger Stache: I remember one thing like that, that when you say God won’t call you to something you don’t like, when Taylor, our firstborn, was two-years-old, I realized that two-year-old kids, they’re just like little sponges. I mean, you can tell them about the Lord, and they love it. And we didn’t have a two-year-old, two and three-year-old class at church. And I knew that God was telling me I’ve got to teach the two and three-year-olds at church. Well, you know, I did not think I liked that. I did not want to do that. But I saw that great potential…
Joyce Meyer: You met a need.
Ginger Stache: In those kids, exactly. And in doing what I thought I wouldn’t like, God showed me that I loved it. I mean, I didn’t wanna do it forever. Let’s be really clear. This is not my lifelong calling. I’m not doing it today. But for that time, it was what I needed to do. It met a need, and it met a need in me, at the same time. So, there are seasons for the things that God asks us to do.
Joyce Meyer: Yeah, certainly. I’m glad you kind of clarified this because I don’t want people to think that God will never ask you to do something that you don’t wanna do. But I don’t think he’s gonna have you teaching two and three-year-olds the rest of your life, because that’s really not your gifting. I mean, you’re probably good at it then, but that’s not your…
Ginger Stache: No, that’s definitely fair to say.
Joyce Meyer: When I first got really serious about the Lord and really wanted to start serving him, to be honest, I tried everything. I mean, I didn’t care what it was as long as it had something to do with God. And I tried working in the nursery and it didn’t take very long for me to find out that wasn’t for me. I tried street ministry, found out that wasn’t for me. Sometimes you just have to try some things, and you gonna do a few things until you, it’s kinda like goin' out to find the outfit for the party. You try on one until you know you hit the right one.
Ginger Stache: And you can’t always tell on the hanger until you put it on.
Joyce Meyer: One thing is for sure, as long as what you do is being done out of love, it’s a good thing.
Erin Cluley: I wanna ask, going back to what you said about the «Helps» ministry, because I wonder if some of the things that we can do to serve people isn’t even an option for us to say that that’s my calling or not. Like, if I am able to, and I have the resources to help somebody where I see a need, whether or not that’s my call and purpose in life, shouldn’t I just do it?
Joyce Meyer: Yes. Yeah. You don’t have to have a call from God. I always say you don’t have to have two angels appear to you and four prophecies to go do some, a long time ago, when I first started wanting to give even beyond my tithe, at that point, I wanted to, but I didn’t want to give up my money. And I felt like God wanted me to give somebody $10. And I was like, «Okay, God, if this is really you,» I mean, I wanted all this confirmation. «If this is really you». And I remember the Lord said, «You know, even if it’s not really me, I won’t get mad at you if you give somebody $10». And so, it’s kind of like what you’re talking about. It’s like, I don’t have to have a special word from God to help a little lady with her groceries, gettin' 'em to her car, if I can see that there’s a need there. «God, are you calling me to help her put those groceries away or not»? I mean, can you imagine how much different the world would be if everybody would just be kind to one another? Kindness isn’t a special calling from God. That’s what you do as a Christian.