Using What God Gave You
God deserves your best.
DISCOVER YOUR SHAPE
Start finding out and clarifying what God intends for you to be and do.
Begin by assessing your gifts and abilities. Spiritual gifts and natural abilities are always confirmed by others. Make a list. Ask other people for their candid opinion. Ask questions like: Where have I seen fruit in my life that other people confirmed? Where have I already been successful?
The best way to discover your gifts and abilities is to experiment with different areas of service. Just start serving, experimenting with different ministries, and then you'll discover your gifts. Until you're actually involved in serving, you're not going to know what you're good at. When it doesn't work out, call it an "experiment", not a failure. You will eventually learn what you're good at.
Consider your heart and your personality. Ask yourself: What do I really enjoy doing most? When do I feel the most full alive? What am I doing when I lose track of time? Do I like routine or variety? Do I prefer serving with a team or by myself? Am I more introverted or extroverted? Am I more a thinker or a feeler? Which do I enjoy more - competing or co-operating?
Examine your experiences and extract the lessons you have learned. Forgotten experiences are worthless; that's a good reason to keep a spiritual journal. We rarely see God's good purpose in pain or failure or embarrassment while it is happening. Only in hindsight do we understand how God intended a problem for good.
ACCEPT AND ENJOY YOUR SHAPE
Your shape was sovereignly determined by God for His purpose, so you shouldn't resent it or reject it. Instead of trying to reshape yourself to be like someone else, you should celebrate the shape God has given only to you. Part of accepting your shape is recognising your limitations. Nobody is good at everything, and no one is called to be everything. When we try to overextend our ministry reach beyond what God shaped us for, we experience stress. Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God's commendation.
KEEP DEVELOPING YOUR SHAPE
God expects us to make the most of what He gives us. We are to cultivate our gifts and abilities, keep our hearts aflame, grow our character and personality, and broaden our experiences so we will be increasingly more effective in our service. Fail to use what you've been given and you'll lose it. Use the ability you've got and God will increase it. Don't settle for a half-developed gift. Stretch yourself and learn all you can. Take advantage of every training opportunity to develop your shape and sharpen your serving skills.
DAY THIRTY-TWO
THINKING ABOUT MY PURPOSE
Point to Ponder: God deserves my best.
Verse to Remember: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)
Question to Consider: How can I make the best use of what God has given me?
Question to Consider: How can I make the best use of what God has given me? To continue to allow Him to direct me to the places He wants me to serve. So often I see lots of opportunities to serve in administration and don't recognise my limitations ... until it's too late. *ahem* I need to continually commit everything to the LORD and ask if it's something HE wants me to do.
ReplyDeleteCupey's notes:
ReplyDeleteDay # 32 Using What God Gave You
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