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.  

Choose to Live My Dreams

In Galatians 6:5 I read, “We are each responsible for our own conduct." (NLT)

People deal with their dreams in one of three ways: They accuse, they excuse, or they choose.

Accusers spend their entire lives blaming others for why they haven’t achieved their dreams. Excusers make excuses for why they are not living their dreams. Choosers do what it takes to live their dreams.

The Bible says that I was created in the image of God. The ability to choose is the quintessential characteristic that separates people from animals. It’s one of God’s greatest gifts to humanity. But since free choice means I’m equally able to make bad choices, it’s also my greatest curse.

Choosers take the responsibility for their choices and the direction of their lives. They don’t blame others or make excuses. The Bible says in Galatians 6:5, “We are each responsible for our own conduct” (NLT).

Instead of complaining that I haven’t achieved my dreams, take the responsibility for what hasn’t been done. My good and bad choices have a far greater impact on my ability to achieve my dreams than any other factor.

There are people who were given nothing in life but achieved far beyond their dreams. There are also people who were given everything they needed and wanted on a silver platter and yet wasted their lives.

I can’t control my circumstances. But I can control how I respond to them.

Proverbs 22:13 says, “The lazy man is full of excuses” (TLB). I shouldn’t be that person. I need to stop making excuses for my unrealized dreams.

Make the choice today to do something about the dreams God has given me.

In summary, people deal with their dreams in one of three ways: They accuse, they excuse, or they choose. Accusers spend their entire lives blaming others for why they haven’t achieved their dreams. Excusers make excuses for why they are not living their dreams. Choosers do what it takes to live their dreams. I was created in the image of God. The ability to choose is the quintessential characteristic that separates me from animals. But free choice means I’m equally able to make bad choices. Choosers take the responsibility for their choices and the direction of their lives. They don’t blame or make excuses. Instead of complaining, they take the responsibility for what hasn’t been done. My good and bad choices have a greater impact on my ability to achieve my dreams than any other factor. There are people who were given nothing in life but achieved far beyond. There are also people who were given everything on a silver platter and yet wasted their lives. I may not be able to control my circumstances, but I can control how I respond to them. A lazy man is full of excuses”. I shouldn’t be that person. I need to make the choice today to do something about the dreams God has given me.

Make a careful exploration of who I am and the work I have been given, and then sink myself into it. Don't be impressed with myself and don't compare myself with others. Each of us must take responsibility for doing the best I can with my own life.  

Faith Helps Me To Focus My Goals

In Ephesians 3:20 I read, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!" (The Message)

Setting goals is important because the Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. In fact, he often announced publicly his goal for the next phase of his ministry.

So why should I set goals? Today we’re going to talk about three reasons to set goals, and tomorrow we’ll talk about three more.

Set goals because it is my spiritual responsibility. If I don’t have goals for my life, I have already decided to let other people run my life. When I don’t decide in advance what’s important, I’m letting other people decide. I end up wasting my life, because I haven’t clarified how I want to grow as a follower of Christ.

The Bible says that, to be spiritually mature, I have to set goals and move toward them.

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize . . . I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. All of us who are mature should think in this same way” (Philippians 3:12, 14-15 CEV).

Set goals because they are statements of faith. If I’m a believer in Jesus Christ and I set a goal, I’m saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.”

Goals aren’t just a statement of faith. They stretch my faith. The bigger my goal, the more my faith will be stretched. And that pleases God.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (The Message).

Set goals because they focus my energy. Focus is the key to an effective life. If I spread my energy out and diffuse it over many things, I’ll reduce my impact. But a focused life is powerful and can change the world.

I don’t have time to do everything. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect me to do everything! The key to being effective in life as a follower of Jesus is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help me maintain that kind of focus.

1 Corinthians 9:26 says it this way: “I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (NCV).

In summary, God can do anything, far more than I could ever imagine, guess or request. Setting goals is important because the Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. Jesus often announced publicly his goal for the next phase of his ministry. Why should I set goals? I set goals because it is my spiritual responsibility. If I don’t have goals, I have already decided to let other people run my life. When I don’t decide in advance what’s important, I’m letting other people decide. In order to be spiritually mature, I have to set goals and move toward them. I set goals because they are statements of faith. When I set a goal, I’m saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.” Goals aren’t just a statement of faith. They stretch my faith. The bigger my goal, the more my faith will be stretched, and that pleases God. I set goals because they focus my energy. Focus is the key to an effective life. If I spread my energy out and diffuse it over many things, I’ll reduce my impact. But a focused life is powerful and can change the world. I don’t have time to do everything. God doesn’t expect me to. The key to being effective in life as a follower of Jesus is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help me maintain that kind of focus.

Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in me. By this power he can do infinitely more than I could ever ask or imagine. Faith starts with stretching my imagination. It begins with a concept, vision or a mental picture. It always starts with an idea. As an example, God gave Abraham a picture. Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Abraham has something he could visualize. God will grow my faith by stretching my imagination, by giving me a dream. What I can dream and believe in faith, I can achieve. 

What’s My Part in the Conflict?

As I look at Psalm 139:23-24, I see,  “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (NIV)

In this passage, David asks God to search for sin and point it out, even to the level of testing his thoughts. Likewise, how am I to recognize sin unless I let God point it out. Then, when God shows me, I can repent of it and be forgiven. If I ask the Lord to search my heart and thoughts and reveal my sin, I will be continuing "along the path of everlasting life."

One of the best strategies for de-escalating conflict is also one of the scariest things I can do: Asking God to give me a clear picture of myself.

When I’m in conflict, I bring all kinds of emotions and misconceptions to the table. My responsibility is to ask God to point out my own shortcomings, not the shortcomings of others. I ask God to make it clear to me anything within me that is wrong and then allow Him to lead me on the path that is always right.

When I genuinely pray those verses from Psalm 139, God will show me the right way. He’ll not play games, and he’ll always forgive, even when he points out that part of the problem in the conflict is me.

As God reveals to me the sin in my life, I must take responsibility for it. And that may mean I need to bring it up in conversation with the other person. It always means I get right with God. My job is to admit any part of the conflict that was caused by my bias, insensitivity, immaturity, or negligence, or any other reason.

Jesus made this point Matthew 7:3-5, “And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother” (TLB).

Pointing the finger will never resolve conflict. I must first look at myself and ask God for wisdom to recognize my sin and take responsibility for it. It will never be easy, but it will always be the right choice.

In summary, ask God to search me and know my heart, even test me and my thoughts. Allow him to point out any offensive way in me. How am I to recognize sin unless I let God point it out. Then, when God shows me, I can repent of it and be forgiven. One of the best strategies for de-escalating conflict is asking God to give and provide me a clear picture of myself. I need to ask God to point out my own shortcomings, not the shortcomings of others.Even when he points out that part of the problem in the conflict is me, He’ll always forgive. As God reveals sin in my life, I must take responsibility for it and get right with God. Pointing the finger will never resolve it. I must first look at myself and ask God for wisdom to recognize my sin and then take responsibility for it. It will never be easy, but it will always be the right choice.

When it comes to my interactions with Senior Leadership I find myself in conflict. Father, I ask you to search my thoughts and help point out what I need to confess. I pray with the help of the Holy Spirit that I can contemplate and hear clearly from you my part of the conflict. I ask you also for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. Help steer me to do what is right. I pray these things through your Son Jesus’ name, amen.