What Will I Do with What I’ve Been Given?

In 1 Peter 4:10 I read, “Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God." (GNT)

It’s important to know what purpose and destiny God created me for.

In order to fulfill my destiny, I must first recognize the gifts God has given me to use. These gifts are basically the cards I’m dealt in life. 

They include the things I can’t control, like my parents, nationality, and my race. They also include my SHAPE— my spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences. These are the things that make me uniquely me.

I’m responsible for making the most of these God-given gifts. But I’m not responsible for the gifts God didn’t give me. In other words, if I am not artistically gifted, I’m not expected to paint pictures like Rembrandt. If I’m not mechanically minded, God likely won’t call me to bless an elderly neighbor with oil changes.

But God does expect me to use my own gifts for the good of others: “Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God” (1 Peter 4:10 GNT).

When I get to heaven, God isn’t going to compare me with anyone else, but he will compare me with myself. What did I do with what I was given? What could I have done if I had trusted God a little bit more? Romans 14:12 says, “Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (NIV). 

The Old Testament tells the story of Esther, a Hebrew woman who became queen and rescued her people. She had three assets that God gave her to fulfill her destiny. She was intelligent, physically beautiful, and had an engaging personality. Because of these qualities, “Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her . . . She won [the king’s] favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen” (Esther 2:15-17 NIV).

God gave Esther specific gifts for a purpose. In the same way, God has given me gifts for a purpose. And just like Esther, I have a responsibility to be a good steward of those gifts — not for selfish uses but for the good of others.

God used Esther’s gifts to save the Hebrew people from a potentially murderous king. How might God use my gifts to benefit others?

In summary, it’s important to know what purpose and destiny God created me for. To fulfill my destiny, I must first recognize the gifts God has given me to use. These gifts are basically the cards I’m dealt in life. They include the things I can’t control, and also include my SHAPE. These are the things that make me uniquely me. I’m responsible for making the most of these God-given gifts. But I’m not responsible for the gifts God didn’t give me. God expects me to use my own gifts for the good of others. When I get to heaven, God isn’t going to compare me with anyone else, but he will compare me with myself. What did I do with what I was given? What could I have done if I had trusted God a little bit more? God has given me gifts for a purpose. I have a responsibility to be a good steward of those gifts — not for selfish uses but for the good of others. So, I need to consider how might God use my gifts to benefit others?

My abilities should be faithfully used in serving others; none are for my own exclusive enjoyment. I don't have the right to use them as I please. I have gifts, I need to find and use them. Even as I seek to discover what they are, if I see a need, seek to meet it. I may end up finding gifts in areas I might not have guessed.  Fulfilling my destiny requires recognizing the unique way God has created me. God has given me gifts for a purpose. I have a responsibility to be a good steward of those gifts. A key to living a productive and fulfilling life is to use my gifts to serve God by serving others.  

Using My Spiritual Gifts to Bless Others

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 I read, “There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person.” (GW)

When I know what I’m shaped to be, then I know what I ought to be, and I can start focusing on that and make better use of my life.

The moment I step across the line spiritually and begin following Jesus, I say, “I’m going to go God’s way, not my own way. I’m going to let him direct my life. I want to follow God’s purpose, not my purpose. I’m going to do what I was wired and made to do.”

After I take that step, God does four things for me: He forgives me, he gives me eternal life, he gives me the Holy Spirit, and he gives me special abilities.

In the Bible, these special abilities are called spiritual gifts, which makes them different from material or physical gifts. They are the abilities I need to get the job done that God wants me to do. Most people who are believers don’t even know they’ve got spiritual gifts, much less what they are. But I have them!

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person” (GW).

God has a purpose for my life, and my spiritual gifts are the equipment he gives me to do what he asks me to do. God will never ask me to do something he doesn’t give me the ability to do. It’s given to me the moment I accept Christ. I don’t get to choose my gift. I don’t earn my gift.

It’s also not for my benefit. My spiritual gifts are given to me to help others. And other people in the church family are given their gifts to help me.

When I use my spiritual gift, the people in my church get blessed. When we develop and use our spiritual gifts, we all get blessed.

To get that blessing and make the most of your life, I need to figure out how God shaped me and what spiritual gifts he gave me.

In summary, there are different gifts, different ways of serving and different types of work to do. They come from the same Spirit and the Lord. When I know what I’m shaped to be, then I know what I ought to be, and I can start focusing on that and make better use of my life. The moment I stepped across the line spiritually and began following Jesus, God did four things for me: He forgave me, he gave me eternal life, he gave me the Holy Spirit, and he gave me special abilities. These special abilities are called spiritual gifts. They are the abilities I need to get the job done that God wants me to do. God has a purpose for my life, and my spiritual gifts are the equipment he gives me to do what he asks. God will never ask me to do something he doesn’t give me the ability to do. I don’t get to choose or  earn my gift, and it’s also not for my benefit. My spiritual gifts are given to me to help others. And other people in the church family are given their gifts to help me. To get that blessing and make the most of your life, I need to figure out how God shaped me and what spiritual gifts he gave me.

God is completely involved in giving, using, and empowering of gifts. While my specific gifts and acts of service may vary from others, they will have the most effect when I use them to help build up the body of Christ and others. God has created a unique place for me in the body of the church and in people's lives. Part of my adventure will involve discovering and then using and making my service available to God. Serving God and his people should be my motivation as I utilize the gifts he has given me. 

Lord, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and to trust you in everything including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. Help me to continue to discover my SHAPE so that I can serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. I ask you for wisdom and guidance in this and for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for a future job role and for leading a small group. I ask these things through you Son Jesus’ name, amen.

 

My SHAPE Shows Me My Purpose

In Jeremiah 1:5 I read, “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you.” (The Message)

To live a life of purpose and meaning, think about what I do well, and find ways to do more of those things. Then think of what I don’t do well, and find ways to do less of those things.

God created me to be unique. He shaped me in a specific way for a special purpose only I can fulfill. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you” (The Message).

No matter what, I can rest in the truth that God is working in my life and that he shaped me to succeed. He shaped me in advance for those plans. God’s plans for my life didn’t start the moment I was born. Those plans started before my birth, when the Bible says God shaped me in my mother’s womb.

But here’s the best part. The way God shaped me reveals how he wants to use me. To discover the unique way God made me, I can use the acrostic SHAPE; my Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. These are the five things that make me, me. And, by looking at each of these areas, I’ll begin to understand what God wants me to do with my life.

Spiritual gifts are God-empowered abilities for serving him that are given only to believers. For instance, some gifts motivate me for ministry—like serving, teaching, encouraging, leading, giving, showing mercy, or offering biblical insight.

Heart refers to the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections I have. It’s what I love to do and what I care about most.

Abilities are the natural talents I was born with. God wants me to do what I’m able to do.

Personality affects how and where I use your spiritual gifts and abilities. I’ll use my gifts in different ways from anybody else.

Experiences teach me lessons that help me mature. They also help me minister to others going through similar experiences.

When God made me, he broke the mold—there is no one else like me. My desire is to find freedom and renewed energy as I live and serve according to my SHAPE.

In summary, before I was conceived, God knew all about me and had specific plans for my life. To live a life of purpose and meaning, think about what I do well, and find ways to do more of those things. God created me to be unique. He shaped me in a specific way for a special purpose only I can fulfill. I can rest in the truth that God is working in my life and that he shaped me to succeed. The way God shaped me reveals how he wants to use me. To discover the unique way God made me, I can use the acrostic SHAPE; my Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. These are the five things that make me, me. And, by looking at each of these areas, I’ll begin to understand what God wants me to do with my life. Spiritual gifts are God-empowered abilities for serving him that are given only to believers. Heart refers to the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections I have. It’s what I love to do and what I care about most. Abilities are the natural talents I was born with. Personality affects how and where I use your spiritual gifts and abilities. Experiences teach me lessons that help me mature. They also help me minister to others going through similar experiences. When God made me, he broke the mold—there is no one else like me. 

God before I was born, you knew and thought about me. You have a unique plan for me to carry out. When I’m feeling discouraged or inadequate, I can think about how You always think of me as valuable and with a purpose in mind for me to fulfill. Whatever work I do should be done for the glory of God. If God gives me a specific task, accept it cheerfully and do it with diligence. If God has not given me a specific call or assignment, then seek to fulfill the mission common to all believers; to love, obey, and serve God, until his guidance becomes clearer.

Father, it’s important for me to discover and use my SHAPE to fulfill your purpose for me. Lord, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and to trust you in everything including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my training for a future job role and for leading a small group. I pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, amen.

 

My Gifts and Talents Are Not Just for My Benefit

In 1 Corinthians 1:4, 7 I read, “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)

God created me with a number of different gifts, talents, abilities, and skills. There are certain ways I think and things I do that I’m just naturally good at.

Those gifts and abilities are how God shaped me. But God did not shape me uniquely for my benefit. My gifts are not just for my own good. My gifts are for the benefit of everybody else. And that means their gifts are for my benefit, too.

I may already know what I’m really good at. Why do I think God made me good at those things? He wants me to use those gifts for others!

How should I use those gifts or talents in the time left before Jesus comes back? Well, I should use them to reach others for Jesus. I should use them to be an ambassador of love in the world. In fact, if I’m not using those unique gifts the way God intended, then I’m really just wasting them.

God didn’t give me gifts just to use them for myself. James 4:17 says it like this: “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (NLT).

If I know what I’m good at and I know that many people in the world probably need my help, what am I going to do about it? Who am I serving? Who am I going to help between now and when the story ends and eternity begins?

God has given me, like the church the apostle Paul wrote to in 1 Corinthians, everything I need to serve well. “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:4, 7 NLT).

Don’t waste my God-given abilities. So I need to use my gifts to serve God by serving others.

In summary, thank God for the gracious gifts he has given me. For I have spiritual gifts I need as I eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. God created me with a number of different gifts, talents, abilities, and skills. There are certain ways I think and things I do that I’m just naturally good at. Those things and abilities are how God shaped me. But God did not shape me for my own benefit. Rather my gifts are for the benefit of everybody else. The things I know that I’m already good at are to be used for others. I should use those to reach others for Jesus and be an ambassador of love in the world. If I’m not using my gifts the way God intended, then I’m really just wasting them. There are many people in the world that probably need my help. What am I going to do about it? Who am I going to help between now and when the story ends and eternity begins? I shouldn’t waste my God-given abilities, rather I need to use them to serve God by serving others.

It occurs to me that I should also be thankful for the gifts and abilities that God has given me. My thankfulness should affect my attitude and behavior. Because I believe in and follow Christ, I”ll be considered blameless when my life ends. One way I can use my talents and skills is to be a leader for a small Bible study group. This is something I have already set into motion. I should also consider how I should spend my time knowing that Jesus could return at any time. My perspective on life should change, being more thankful for what God has given me to use to help further his kingdom. I ask you Father for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. These things I ask for in your Son Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.

 

What to Do with The Gifts I’ve Been Given

In review of 1 Peter 4:10, it tells me that “Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use them for the good of others the special gift he has received from God” (GNT).

My abilities should be faithfully used in serving others; none are for my own exclusive enjoyment. I don't have the right to use them as I please. I need to find and use them. Even as I seek to discover what they are, if I see a need, seek to meet it. I may end up finding gifts in areas I might not have guessed.

Do I know what God created me for? Do I know what my destiny is?

Fulfilling my destiny requires recognizing the unique way God has created me. This includes the things you can’t control, such as your parents, your nationality, your race, your native language. It also includes your SHAPE: my Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. All of these things make me uniquely me.

I’m only responsible for the gifts God gives me. So, if you aren’t artistically gifted, you are not expected to paint pictures like Rembrandt.

When I get to heaven, God isn’t going to compare me with anyone else, but myself. What did I do with what I was given? Romans 14:12 reminds me, “Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (NIV).

In the Old Testament, Esther used three God-given assets to fulfill her destiny. She was intelligent, beautiful, and had an attractive personality. Because of these qualities, “Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her . . . She won [the king’s] favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen” (Esther 2:15, 17 NIV).

Just as God gave Esther gifts for a purpose, God has given me gifts for a purpose. And just like Esther, I have a responsibility to be a good steward of those gifts, not in selfish ways but for the good of others. A key to living a productive and fulfilling life is to use my gifts to serve God by serving others.

In summary, as a good manager of God's gifts, I must use my for the good of others. They should be faithfully used in serving others. They aren't for my personal enjoyment or selfish gain. Fulfilling my destiny requires recognizing the unique way God has created me. God has given me gifts for a purpose. I have a responsibility to be a good steward of those gifts. A key to living a productive and fulfilling life is to use my gifts to serve God by serving others. 

Father as I consider what your Word says to me today, I need to consider those things that I have been ignoring, in favor of work. I had decided that starting today, I would begin to change my schedule slightly by getting up earlier, getting to work and leaving work a bit earlier. I want to add margin into my schedule, so that I can use the extra time as an opportunity to do things your bring my way. Today I also prayerfully consider if I should help volunteer to participate in a smaller group role with a ministry need on Monday nights.

I pray this morning that you will help shape my thoughts and help me to use the gifts you have given me to serve others. I pray for wisdom and guidance for my day, my leadership and my interactions with others. This I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen.