Your Gift: I Wonder What's Inside?

Gifts. God gave them to you. Do you know that? Do you believe that? Are you using them? Do you know what He has gifted you with? Are you living a life worthy of your calling? You have been called by God. That's serious business. The God of the universe has bestowed a gift upon you (at least one--it's biblical--Ephesians 4:7). He has called you. Inspect your life for a moment. Take some quiet time and reflect. Be open. Be honest with yourself and with Him. All of us have God-given gifts, talents, and/or abilities. In our minds they may seem small, but in His mind they are HUGE! He gave them to you to USE in His service.

Many of us think that if we only KNEW what the gift was then we'd certainly be using it. That's very common. Not knowing for sure what your gift is can hold you back if you allow it to do so. Beware: the voice you hear is the enemy's. He wants you to keep spinning around, questioning, and wondering what your gift is. If you're always spinning about, uncertain, then you'll never USE your gift. That's what Satan wants! But how do you know what your gift is? GREAT question. Be careful. Be prayerful. Knowing what your gift is comes with great responsibility--a duty. That can be why some choose to remain in "spinning" mode. If you discover your gift you will no longer have an excuse for not using it right? That can be scary! I understand.

Let's assume you've taken this all very seriously. Let's go further and assume that you've decided you truly want to discover your gift, knowing that you will be called to USE it. How do you figure out what your gift is? That is not always easy. For some it is OBVIOUS! For others it can be quite elusive. My suggestions are as follows:

1. Be diligently prayerful. Talk with God about your desire to know AND use your gift. Ask Him to cause the Holy Spirit to reveal His will for you. Ask for insight and wisdom.

2. Shut up and listen. It will not whack you over the head. God will not walk into your room and give you a scroll with your gift written upon it.

3. Stop listening to the enemy--this one is HUGE. He is the one whispering the fear and self-doubt into your ear. He will use all that is in his power to blind you to your gift.

4. Get involved. Try different things. Broaden your scope of experience. Examine your interests and passions. Don't limit yourself. Are you particularly good at something? Delve into that. Try new things both in your "church" setting and outside in the "real world" as well.

5. Ask around. Ask your friends and family what they see in you. Ask what they view your strengths/gifts to be. They may have insight and see things that you may not be aware of at all. ASK, you may be surprised to hear what they see in you that you are unable to recognize.

6. Look for it. Watch for it. Listen for it. Assume nothing. Realize that your gift may not be as public as the next person's. Not all gifts are in public ministry. Many people make those kinds of assumptions. But ALL gifts, public or very behind-the-scene, are crucial to serving our God. Don't minimize or internally discount YOUR gift.

I had a friend who worked in IT at a company where I used to work. He and I had a discussion about this very topic. He didn't know what his gift was. He questioned if it was God who called him into the IT career path. I think we limit ourselves and our gifts by thinking that what we do is insignificant in the goal of serving God. This friend of mine did. However, I know better. I know that because of this friend of mine, I found a wonderful church, a great church family, hope, and encouragement. I would NOT be where I am today if it weren't for this wonderful friend. He used his daily interactions with people to serve God and His calling. If he weren't working in that job, sharing his faith along the way, and gently giving hope to others I would not be the person I am today.

We all need to realize that just because our profession may not be "ministry- related" that doesn't mean that we aren't doing what God has called us to do and using our gift(s). We also cannot assume that our career has to be where our gift is best used. You may be the one who gives hope to lost friends and coworkers--like my friend did. Maybe you are the guy that is always called upon to help out when someone needs a hand. Don't limit your gift. It may seem small in your eyes, but it is HUGE in God's eyes. That is why He gifted YOU with that particular gift. He knew YOU were the right one for the job. He made that gift to fit perfectly to YOU. It may be your ability to sing. It may be writing. It may be public-speaking. It may be serving the less-fortunate in your community. I know of someone who took his love of the outdoors, his passion for fishing, hiking, etc...to create a spiritual experience in those settings for both the young and old alike. It is a successful business that I pray blesses those who experience God through the outdoors. Again, don't limit your scope. God put your interests and passions inside of you for a reason. Whatever your career and interests may be, look for your gift(s) within them. USE them. Live your life and use your gift. Make this a priority. Don't listen to Satan. Use the gift that the God of the Universe gave to you. It wasn't by accident. It was a gift meant to be USED. Don't give up. Don't continue spinning. Don't let Satan distort your thinking. Be diligent. Seek it. Find it. LIVE YOUR CALLING.