The Right Gifts

My daughter has been listening to “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott recently, and at one point Amy scolds Laurie for wasting all of his gifts and talents because he couldn’t have the one he wanted. Instead of making the most of what he did have, he squandered his time and life in self pity, which did not change his lot in life at all, but only served to make him unhappy.

 

1 Corinthians 7:7 New American Standard Bible 1995

Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 New American Standard Bible 1995

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

1 Peter 4:10 New American Standard Bible 1995

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 

We have all been given at least one gift to use. Not all have the same gift, or the same number of gifts, and we do not all use them the same way. God has a specific plan for each of us. Some do not know what their gifts are because they have not been developed, or haven’t asked God to reveal them. Others have “lost” their gifts in a sense because they haven’t used them. It is important for us to find out what our gifts our, how God wants us to use them, and then to do it, even if they are not what we want.

 

I know people given the gift of preaching who do not like being in front of people, but they do it because it is what God has called them to, and others are blessed by their service. I know others who have one gift, but want a different one, and either don’t do anything because they don’t have what they want, or spend all their energy doing the wrong thing. No one is blessed by that.

 

Romans 12:6 New American Standard Bible 1995

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly

1 Corinthians 1:5-8 New American Standard Bible 1995

that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 1:5-7 New American Standard Bible 1995

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

 

We are to use our gifts according to our faith. Some evangelists minister to thousands or even millions, others only to a few. If they are doing what God has called them to, what they are doing is nothing to be scoffed at or judged. We are all part of the same body and to use our gifts where we are placed. Whether we have an audience of a hundred or one, we can do no better than to do God’s work.

 

God has called me to write. In the world’s terms my blog is not nearly as successful as others, but that is not how God measures success. The important thing is that I am doing what God has called me to and leave the results up to Him. I love worship, and I would love to help with the worship team, but I do not have that gifting so I have three options. I can pout because I don’t get what I want. I can do it anyway and offend people’s ears, or I can instead do what I am called to and be thankful for those God has called. Yes, the person’s heart is more important than their actual skill level, and I think if it is done for God He is blessed and glorified, but there is a difference between good and best. What I am doing might be good, but if it is not what God called me to it is not the best that I could do.

 

This does not mean that we have to be skilled in what God calls us to do. Sometimes we are and sometimes we are not. That is not the point. What God has called us to might be intimidating, often He calls us out of our comfort zone, but the gift is from the Spirit which also brings with it the courage, strength and ability we need to accomplish it. Moses was not a skilled orator, but God gave him what he needed to fulfill his mission. That fear and timidity is not from God but from the enemy trying to keep us from fulfilling our God-given purpose.

 

Do you know what your gifts are? Are you using them how God wants you to? I encourage you to seek out those answers. Perhaps you have squandered your gifts out of fear, self pity, or indolence. It is not too late. Like muscles weakened from disuse, they are still there; they just need to be exercised. Strengthen your gifts by strengthening your faith. Seek harder after God so that your gifts will grow and multiply. Be content with where God has placed you. Bloom where you are planted.