Gift or Passion?

This is a bit of a chicken and egg question... If I'm gifted at something, how has that become the case?

Was I born gifted in an area, my natural talent lead me to be skilled, my skill enabled me to enjoy putting my gift into practice and my enjoyment makes me passionate about this?

Or, was I born with no more or less skill than anyone else. Instead of being born with a natural gift, maybe I was born or given early in life a passion for an area. That passion would have fueled my interest, my interest would have lead to learning and practicing, my skill level would have increased, and I could be perceived by others or myself as gifted in that area.

My Theology-Worship Cycle

My belief in God doesn't seem to change, but my reactions to the belief do. I think that I go through cycles of actively being in relationship with Him and then learning and thinking about Him, one after the other.

I think that both part of this cycle are good and healthy, but I wish that I found it easier to do both at the same time.

For several days I can be aware that God is within me and present because of my relationship with Him through Jesus. I will enjoy talking with Him, listening for guidance in tasks, and find it easy to focus during times of worship.

Why God Won't Help Me Win the Lottery

I have sometimes fantasized that although I do no play the national lottery, God would give me a winning set of numbers in a dream or vision. Then, armed with these numbers, and obviously God's approval, I would win millions!

Of course, this has not happened in real life. But I took a moment the other day to wonder if God might actually use the lottery in that way, and came to the conclusion that no, He wouldn't. I think that even if God wanted me to have loads of money for something, He wouldn't use the lottery to accomplish this.