^"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
Philippians 4:6-7, The Message

"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required ..."
Luke 12:48, New King James Version

What have you been given?  I'm not talking about birthday presents ... or advice ... of even a gesture after you cut someone off on the road.  I want to know what talents have you been given?  Skills can be acquired, but talent ... talent is a gift from God.  Maybe you don't believe in God.  If that's you, I'm glad you're reading this today.  You see, I do believe in Him.  So much so I capitalize the "H" every time I refer to Him.  Some people just can't seem to get their head around an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent Creator.  You know what I can't get my head around?  That I came from a gob of goo that crawled out of the ocean.  I can't seem to sell myself on the possibility that a rock blew up somewhere out in the solar system resulting in life.  I heard an explanation once about the complexity of the human eye and how in no way could it be a product of evolution.  Many of us probably take our sight for granted, and our eyes as well, but they are incredible little processing machines.  Dr. George Marshall was interviewed by Creation magazine and offered this about the human eye:

How do you react to the notion that the human eye is the product of evolution?

The more I study the human eye, the harder it is to believe that it evolved. Most people see the miracle of sight. I see a miracle of complexity on viewing things at 100,000 times magnification. It is the perfection of this complexity that causes me to baulk at evolutionary theory.

Can you give our readers some idea of just how complex the eye is?

The retina is probably the most complicated tissue in the whole body. Millions of nerve cells interconnect in a fantastic number of ways to form a miniature ‘brain’. Much of what the photoreceptors ‘see’ is interpreted and processed by the retina long before it enters the brain. (1)

Sorry about the rabbit trail; this wasn't supposed to be about creationism, but a belief that we are created drives home the point that we are each given talents by the Creator.  Our gift back to Him is using those talents for the good of others.  The more we use our talents, the more God requires of us, and the more He wants us to continue using them.  I'll use an example or two from my own life, but will ask you in advance to allow me a little freedom, especially for those who don't know me.  I am in no way grandstanding ... that's not how I roll.  I'm just going to share with you some things that others have said about me, and use their comments to explain what I think this verse means.

As quoted from Richard H. on my band's facebook page today ... As folks move thru the band your professionalism, positive outlook and love of God touches them, and then more people.  I'm struggling right now with what to do with my band.  We just 'lost' our guitar player to the Army.  Aaron is a great guitar player, and will be very, very difficult to replace.  He's also the sixth guitar player I've had in less than 5 years.  It's not easy to continually replace people as they leave the band.  It's not easy to continually book gig after gig, and print poster after poster, and load, and unload, and the load again the amount of equipment we need.  It's not easy to be looked at as the leader.  However, as a result of the band "being", a guy named Russ came to know Jesus in a personal way.  As a result of the band, Russ met a woman named Rhonda and eventually married her.  As a result of the band, I was able to share with an old friend last week how and why I trust God with what goes on in my life.  As a result of the band, I've gained the ability and confidence to get up in front of a church congregation and lead worship.  Being in a band isn't a talent.  What I believe is a talent is the ability to sing, and to interact with and touch people on a personal level as a result.  That's the talent I believe God gave me.  He's given me much, so much is required. 

As quoted from Michelle R. on my facebook page ... Went back through some of your previous blogs; very encouraging. Thank you for taking the time to touch others hearts.  If this is your first time visiting Chasing God, welcome.  It exists because I like to write.  And because I have way too much stuff bouncing around my head, thus I had to find a way to let some of it run free.  Michelle and several others have commented that I have a talent or gift of writing, and of simplifying the complex and then putting it down into words.  I started writing my blog only a few months ago, in November of 2010.  A few people read it, and commented on how they liked what I had to say.  In particular my wife, whose opinion is the most important to me.  Then a few more people read it, with a guy named Dave telling me that he had decided to purposefully make God a more important part of his life in 2011, and that he was going to focus on developing his "spiritual strength."  Then a few more people read, with a woman named Valerie telling me that "reading your blog is good for your soul.  Everyone should read it."  Then it made it's way overseas, first being read in Croatia and Israel.  Then Denmark.  Then Singapore.  Then Canada ... and Germany ... and the United Kingdom ... and Slovenia ... and Russia.  He's given me much, so much is required.

So I ask again, what have you been given?

I start a new job tomorrow.  18 hours from now I'll be backing out of my driveway to go work as a project manager for an engineering company.  It's what I've done for 10 years of my 16 year career as a Landscape Architect.  For the last several years I've worked on some of the coolest projects, and with some of the greatest clients.  I'm good at what I do ... part talent, part skill, but all by God's grace.  Regardless, I'm nervous.  I don't like being the new guy.  Contrary to what a lot of people think, I'm not comfortable meeting new people.  I've been off of work now for 51 weeks, so obviously I'm glad that God has provided me with this opportunity ... but I'm still anxious.  And God knows it.  I've told him, "through petition and praise", I've let Him know exactly how I feel.  I'm waiting for Him to come and settle me down.  In addition to talents, I believe God gives us opportunities, and just like with our talents, I believe when He gives us opportunities, "much is required."  I don't know what God has in store for me, or my future co-workers.  I don't know why I was laid off last May because of a lack of work, when no one else was being laid off.  There's a lot that I don't know, which leads to me feeling anxious.  It leads to me worrying.  I'm not talking about run of the mill anxiety either ... I'm talking ANXIETY.  But there is a God of the universe ... the same God who created me ... who knows my concerns.  He's at work making every thing come together for the good.  He's equipped me with God given talent, and learned skill, to make the most of this life, and to meet whatever comes my way head on.  God did that.  Not an amoeba, or a blown up rock in outer space.  God.  G to the O to the D ... God.  He uses people like my wife ... Richard and Michelle ... Dave and Valerie ... to remind me that I have a place in this world, and a purpose for being here.  He knows that worry can overtake me at times, but God is the ultimate worry displacer.

So I ask again, what have you been given?  What gift or talent has God given you that needs to be used?  Who has God put in your life to support you during the times when you worry, or get anxious?  Are you willing to let God work in your life to displace that worry?  I hope so.  God bless.

Footnotes:
(1) Dr George Marshall obtained his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Biology at the University of Strathclyde in 1984. He conducted research into bone marrow cancer at the University of Sheffield for three years until invalided out with a serious, normally incurable illness. He was dramatically healed of this in November 1987 and soon obtained an M.Med.Sci. from Sheffield. He then worked at the University of Manchester before taking up a post at the University of Glasgow in 1988. He obtained his Ph.D. in Ophthalmic Science at Glasgow in 1991 and was elected to chartered biologist (C.Biol.) status and to membership of the Institute of Biology (M.I.Biol.) in 1993.  Quotation used above taken from here.