Playing in God’s Sandbox

By theteachersdevotional2 hours ago

Core Scripture: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Message: Where does God want you? Is there a spot He can use you? What gifts has He blessed you with that you can glorify Him with? Are you living out God’s will? Or are you just going through the motions, drifting aimlessly through life with no purpose or direction, aching for something more?

I struggle with these questions and have been wrestling with them a lot since the beginning of this year. Especially concerning my career. I feel like I am missing out on something, yet at the same time I know God is working behind the scenes.

Having just read chapter 7 of Fighting Shadows by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson, I love the way they explained the Shadow of Futility. Men yearn to make themselves known in their careers, living in God’s will. God’s will is not a bullseye you are trying to hit. There is no ONE thing you need to be doing.

Instead, picture God’s will like a sandbox to play in. There are plenty of areas you can go in the sand; however, there is still a boundary keeping you confined to what God wants, not what you want. This alleviates the pressure of making every single decision the right way.

I entered 2026 with fresh hope to find a new job. I had just finished working six days a week through the month of December at Amazon, and my body was rebelling. A nasty case of tennis elbow on my right arm was throbbing. The tips of my fingers were numbing from the repetitive motion of the induct gun, and my doctor said I needed rest. No more induct gun.

I was frustrated. This wasn’t what my life was supposed to be like! I was not a warehouse worker. I had too many other gifts and talents being left on the table, and I longed to be able to find a job that would utilize them. I wanted to write. To speak. To let my creative juices flow somewhere. I didn’t want to be waking up at midnight to go to a job where I felt overworked and underappreciated.

Despite my discouragement, I began to ask myself some “what if” questions. What if God could use my talents at Amazon? What if I stopped feeling sorry for myself and reached out to help my colleagues there? What if my sandbox of God’s will extended to the Amazon warehouse? What if God had me right where He wanted me, and He was just waiting for me to fall into line there?

Something happened. Almost immediately. Two managers approached me on back-to-back days, telling me they wanted me to be cross trained for more warehouse positions, utilizing my positive leadership qualities. I was trained to be a Yard Marshall that next week, and the week after I taught another new hire class, putting on my teaching hat again.

The most radical change happened in my desire to share the gospel and encourage others. I shared my testimony with two friends, one of whom happened to be a Muslim. I completed a Bible plan on YouVersion with a colleague who was looking to grow as a Christian. I found out one of my new hires was a Christian and added him as a friend to YouVersion. I hope he can participate in our next YouVersion study.

I was on cloud nine after my conversations with this young 31-year-old led me to a deeper spiritual relationship with him. As I was walking out the door after my shift, another manager pulled me aside, asking me if I was interested in moving from an L2 to an L3 Process Assistant position. Two managers had thought I might be a good fit for this, and I readily told him that I would love the opportunity to advance at Amazon.

It was as if God was telling me that maybe He had some more work for me to do there. I looked back on what He had done through me since I began work there on October 27, 2024. He took a retired teacher who had never worked overnights or warehouse and made me into Employee of the Month by April 2024. I cultivated numerous friendships, became a Learning Ambassador, and used my positive spirit to motivate my teammates.

Amazon has woven its way into my heart, and I never would have thought this could ever happen. Amazon was supposed to be a temporary stay before I moved on to bigger and better things. Not so much now. It has become a possible future for me, and I have realized my sandbox extends further than I expected.

I challenge you to take on this mindset. Discovering God’s will is not as complicated as you might think. It is not about finding the perfect job or the perfect spouse or the perfect anything. It is about embracing each day where He has put you, looking for opportunities to showcase your talents, and playing in God’s sandbox, giving Him all the glory He deserves.

Challenge: How can you play in God’s sandbox today?

Bible study: Journal about or discuss the following questions about the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) …

How was Joseph treated by his brothers?
Where did Joseph land after his brothers staged his death?
How did God use Joseph in prison?
Did Joseph blame God for his misfortunes?
How did Joseph treat his brothers when they returned during the famine?
How should we treat those who wrong us?
How can we live out God’s will like Joseph did?

Video application: I found this video helpful in discovering what God’s will is. I hope you do too!

Just for fun: I stayed home from church on Sunday since I was fighting a nasty cough and didn’t want it to spread. Watching online services from home always makes communion interesting. This was my creative attempt at communion. And it was glorious.