Talent -vs- Desire

Have you watched any of the winter Olympics this year? One of my favorite events is figure skating. I am amazed at the grace and seeming ease in which they execute the most amazing feats on ice. Put me in a pair of skates and I have all I can do to keep my ankles from wiggling like a fish brought into a boat on a fishing line. How they can contort their bodies and do things on two skinny blades, on a slippery surface (that I can’t do on solid ground) will never cease to amaze me! As easy as they make it look the reality is… it’s not. Yes, it starts with a dream and I’m sure a hefty dose of God given talent but I’m 100% positive that it doesn’t end there. Sacrifices have to be made. Hours of countless practice, injuries, setbacks, determination, growth in mechanics and performance, gym time, money… and so much more are all part of the journey, which eventually brought them to this place and time; to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Whether these individuals place with a medal or not, they are all winners in my book. In fact, I don’t know about you, but it makes me wish I had even a a pinky nails size of their abilities. It made me wonder, Do I have a talent that shines like that? In all honesty, I’d have to say no. It’s not that God hasn’t given me any gifts, but rather it’s that I haven’t invested the time needed to develop them to their full potential. To me though, the real question that I need to wrestle with is what is God calling me to verses what am I trying to call myself to? Have you ever heard someone play the piano that has invested countless hours and years in practice, yet it still sounded stilted… difficult...unnatural? Then another person sits on that same bench, same piano, and the results are radically different. The instrument suddenly seems to become an extension of the musician. Beauty flows and it's almost as if you connect to their heart. That my friend is the difference between a desire and a God given talent. Both individuals are invested in music, both can play the musical score on the stand, but only one reaches my heart. Confession~ I know I have leaps and bounds to learn in the craft of writing. I have yet to determine if I will ever be one who can write like an Olympic skater -- one who will eventually have both the talent and tools to excel. Perhaps to the reader my writing will I’ll always sound like a piano “plunker”. Do you ever wrestle with this type of question~ Is the desire I have to do (you fill in the blank) given to me from the Lord, or is it something I seek to pursue on my own because of my own wishes?

If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment.