I have 5 principles that have guided my life and this is the first one. I hope to write a book some day around them. I taught a course that used "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" for many years and that book has birthed many of these thoughts.

Well being precedes well doing flows from the premise that a person who knows what their strengths are or their mission in life and then positions themselves to do who they are will produce a fruitful life, particularly when 60% or more of "what they do" is "who they are." Furthermore, God made us so when our work can match up to the way we are created we usually experience an unusual blessing because there's a kind of Spirit fullness that comes upon us.

I've been very blessed. I've had many jobs where I had the opportunity to see this principle work out in my life and there's nothing like seeing the hand of God on your work. But in 2009 that ended and I was unemployed for 2 years and, though I'm very grateful to be fully employed now, I'm not sure I'm in my sweet spot and there are some days I come home pretty discouraged. At 57, I wonder if my "episode" of fullness has come and gone. My son is unemployed right now and I would dearly love to have his "well being precede well doing" but as the months go on it seems more urgent that he just get a job.

How does this all resonate with you?

I've been going through a little bit of what you and your son have been going through. I am employed but very underemployed. I am currently in the process of trying to figure out what to do and have a lot of options. I could go back in the Army. The pay for an officer of my rank and time in service is about 4 times what I make now. I could try to get on with Dept of State or some other sexy job that pays well and allows me to travel the world.

While all these thoughts have been crossing my mind Isaiah 31:1 is a verse that I have been turning to a lot. "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD!" (Egypt=the world and worldly things)

I know that it is the LORDs will for me to stay in Duluth where I have a great local church and am growing spiritually. That's not to say that the LORD might not want to use me somewhere else in the future. The LORD is gracious though and He always provides. Not to mention He has located me very close to the Boundary Waters for the past 8 years.

As far as your son, I think things are looking up in northeast MN for some of the big mining companies; Cliffs Natural Resources, US Steel, etc. I think someone could do well if they were willing to start at the bottom of one of those companies and work their way up.

Walleye_hunter,

You've probably seen the verses from Jeremiah 29:11,12. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." How do you process these words in your situation?

(By the way, I think I'm the worst fisherman in the world)

A small book could probably be written on Jeremiah 29:11 but I will try to keep it short. Not all scripture is to us but it is definitely all for us (2 Tim 3:16 & 17). Jeremiah 29 is a letter that the profit sent to the elders and such that were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. If we pick it up in verse 10 NKJV “For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” We know that this prophecy did come true. In fact prophecy (not to mention fulfilled prophecy) is what makes the Bible so much different than other religious books such as the Koran. For the Bible to give the consistent message that it does with so much fulfilled prophecy it either had to be written all at one time in several different styles and two languages by the same person, or it is the Word of God. Of course each person needs to decide for themselves but history and Archeology prove to us that the Bible was written over the course of thousands of years and it is very historically accurate.

How do I apply Jeremiah 29:11 to my current situation? If I compare scripture with scripture such as Romans 8:28, I know that God is working to use all my past, future, and current circumstances together, for good, if I chose to trust in Him. The LORD does use trials to stretch and grow us and I’ll admit many of my trials are self inflicted but in light of Jeremiah 29:11 I know He still has a plan for my life even when I get off track as Israel had done, which resulted in them being taken captive by Babylon.

I need to do a better job of standing on the promises of God and then I can apply your principle of well being proceeds well doing.

WH,

You seem very skilled in understanding and applying interpretive methods to the Scriptures. So, I was having a conversation with a family member this past weekend and she said, "everything happens for a reason." Well, I'm certain that God is sovereign and I've seen him do miracles but I do wonder whether that statement is true. There's lots of times I do stupid things and I experience his grace and mercy and I don't experience the consequences. But, there are other times I do.

What do you think?