In my young adults group we’re studying Ephesians and Monday we read Ephesians 4: 1-16. What I took from the lesson ultimately came down to the first verse:
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received”- Ephesians 4:1
Reading that verse I had thought of acts of service and to start serving NOW and not to wait until I leave for my trip.
I’ve started exploring Evangelism because that’s something that frightened me and I needed to focus on and learn before I leave.
One more thing that I have just recently discovered started at training camp and I was drawn to a specific person and my heart was very heavy for him and I didn’t know why but God gave me the word “potential” for him and I shared it with him and he said it was exactly what he needed to hear because it’s everything he had been thinking about at camp.
I didn’t realize it until last night but I discovered it was because I have the gift of Exhortation.
The gift of Exhortation is the special ability to counsel or challenge others toward a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ. Often, the gift of Exhortation is utilized to motivate the Church in general or a Christ Follower in particular, to make God-honoring choices.
Which to me, I take away as encouragement.
Here, at home, I had someone that was put very strongly on my heart from my young adults group and again I was having trouble with it and I found a practice that really helps me with clarity is writing and while I’m writing I receive words from God. So I prayed for words for this person and started to write and I ended up receiving 3 pages of words!
I met up with this person today for coffee and shared with him the words that God had given me and that I didn’t know exactly what they meant but God told me that once I shared the words with this person he would use them wisely and once again this friend thanked me and was so grateful because he was struggling with something and the words that God placed on my heart to give him were extremely encouraging.
So bringing this back to Ephesians 4, now that I have learned of my gift of exhortation and how to use it I plan on using, exploring and strengthening my gift so that I can use it often and share Gods word with those who may not be listening as well as they should.
I am pumped to use my gift at home, on the field and beyond that and I am so grateful for God to show me my gift.
I ENCOURAGE you all to find your gifts and if you know your gifts to explore it and use it in everyday life.
Nothing is more exciting and rewarding than living a life worthy of the calling you have received!
