God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of
spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10
A couple Fridays ago our apprenticeship group at
Adventures in Missions took the afternoon to write down the gifts God has given
us. We then got up in front of the group and shared with one another.
I would say at one level or another, most of us felt some
level of discomfort as we began this process. There’s something that feels
weird about it, writing down and sharing out the giftings and unique
characteristics God has given us.
It’s like the fear of coming across as less than humble
keeps us from sharing- even keeps us from living out-that which God has blessed
us with.
Maybe part of it is knowing we are called to use the gifts God has given us.
I know for me, it’s often easier to focus on my weaknesses
and the areas that I’m lacking instead of focusing on and operating out of the
gifts the Lord has given me.
But I recognize
the value in knowing the unique and wonderful way God has made me. I recognize
that any voice that tries to keep me living in my weaknesses, any voice that
keeps me from living out the life God has called me to, is not of God, but of
Satan.
So here I
share with you what I believe the Lord says about me. Here I share
with you the gifts I see the Lord has given me. I hope at the end, you’ll do the same and share with me what the Lord says about
you.
God has gifted me with
insight, wisdom, and discernment. He’s given me a deep level of empathy for
others as well as a voice to speak truth into people’s lives. God has given me
the ability to see through situations and people into the heart of what’s
really going on, speaking the very things into peoples lives, whether
encouraging or challenging, that they need to hear.
God has given me the gift of knowing the depths of human
emotion: both joy and laughter, and sorrow and despair.
I see the gifts and greatness people often don’t see in
themselves and am drawn to people at the times when they need love the most.
People can turn to me and know that I will sincerely listen, love, and care.
God has gifted me with intelligence, with both a creative and
analytical mind. God has given me a strong work ethic-despite obstacles and
challenges, I will follow tasks through to completion with detail and
excellence.
God has given me a voice to worship him. He has given me a voice
to draw others into an intimate place of worship with him and to break through
spiritual barriers on behalf of other people.
God has made me uniquely and wonderfully and calls me to use the
voice He has given me. This is not of my own doing, but by the hand of God. The
good in me is the Christ that lives in me.
No matter
who you are, no matter where you are, no matter what you say about yourself or
what others say about you, God has made you uniquely and wonderful and in His image.
Do you know the gifts God has placed in you? The unique
characteristics He’s given you? I challenge you to take some time to ask God
the unique way He has made you.
Whether you’re
a regular reader or someone who has stumbled across my blog for the first time,
whether you are someone who comments frequently or never, I encourage you to
comment below sharing what God says about you. Put it into words, speak it into
existence, share it with the world, and breathe life into the truth of who God
has made you to be.
