God created us and called us to come alongside one another. He also gifted us to fulfill this calling.
God created each one of us as a unique masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). He has given each one of us skills, talents, likes, dislikes, personalities and gifts. No two people are exactly the same. You are unique, special, and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
When God created us He had a specific plan set for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). We were not created to wonder aimlessly on this earth, or to try to figure things out on our own. God gave us His Word to guide us (Psalm 119:105), His Holy Spirit to help us (John 14:26), and His church to support us (Ephesians 4:15-16).
God has also given each one us a spiritual gift (Ephesians 4:11-12) so that we can build up the body of believers we call family.
Our spiritual gifts are different from the talents and skills God has given to us. If you have never discovered what your spiritual gift is, can I encourage you to find that out? Speak to someone in your church or simply go online and search ‘discovering your spiritual gift.’ Not knowing your spiritual gift is a disservice to you and to the body of believers you belong to.
Why is this so important?
God created His church to be a place where as believers we come together to love one another and encourage one another. God gave us specific gifts so that we can build up one another.
Gene Wilkes defines a spiritual gift like this: “A spiritual gift is an expression of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers which empowers them to serve the body of Christ, the church.”
Peter writes to a group of suffering Christians who have been driven out of Jerusalem words of encouragement to use their gifts to serve one another as faithful stewards (1Peter 4:10).
God has graced us with these gifts (1Corinthians 12:4-5), are we being wise stewards with what He has given us?
I have already talked about how important the local church is in a previous blog. If you belong to a local church you are to be serving within that local church.
How? Through the spiritual gifts God has given you.
Remember, we are the body of Christ. We are one unit with many different functioning parts. Your gifts are different from my gifts therefore allowing you to serve in a different capacity than what I serve. We are both needed though for the whole body to function at its optimal level.
There is no person or gift that is worthless within the body of Christ. No matter what your gift is it is needed for the body to function with excellence.
Think of it this way, if a body only consisted of hands that body would not function very well. If a body only consisted of a head that body would not function very well.
If a body of believers only had pastors or teachers in their midst, who would serve? Let me be a little selfish here, who would make the coffee for Sunday morning?
Every person is a needed part of the body. Every gift is a needed gift within the body.
When we choose not to discover or use the spiritual gifts God has given to us, we not only dishonor God but we dishonor the family we belong to.
Take some time today to discover your spiritual gifts. Pray over that discovery and ask God to show you how to use that gift within the body you belong to.
Don’t be afraid of discovering your gift. God just may confirm that little nudge you have been feeling or affirm a desire that has been stirring within you.
If you are not sure how to practically put into practice your spiritual gift then talk to someone in the church to help you figure that out. Ask a ministry leader if you can give them a “trial run” to find out if that is the best place to use your spiritual gift.
God tells us if we lack wisdom all we need to do is ask (James 1:5). Ask God and patiently wait on Him to answer you.
Dear Father, thank you that you created me as Your masterpiece, called me with a purpose and plan in mind and gifted me to fulfill that calling.