Kolar: Embrace, Discern and Serve with Purpose - Shenzhen Power Tools Co.,Ltd

Romans 12: 6-8: We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Learning to live within our spiritual means is important. Not every follower of Jesus has the same gifts, and if something is not your gift, you either know it, suspect it, or will find out in a big hurry when you fail in trying to use it. Think of it like any other gift you’ve been given. If someone doesn’t cook, the gift of a frying pan probably isn’t for them. If someone doesn’t do home improvement projects, they likely don’t need a miter saw. If you are not a farmer, you have no need for a combine. If you are not a seamstress, a sewing machine will sit in your corner collecting dust. We would never insist on becoming a cook, home improvement professional, farmer or seamstress just because there is a need for these things in our world. Instead, we do our best to do what we can do, what we like to do and what we are successful in doing to contribute to the needs of our world.

That is how it is with our spiritual gifts and abilities. We are offered the appropriate gifts according to God’s grace. God knows what we are capable of, what we enjoy and what we can be successful in doing. We are never given a gift that isn’t suitable for us because God knows not everyone is good at everything. Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone is a minister. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone is an exhorter. Not everyone is a giver. Not everyone is a leader. Not everyone is compassionate. If you are trying to use one of these gifts and finding yourself completely out of your comfort zone, it might just be because you are trying to use a gift that was never meant for you to begin with.

Likewise, if you are feeling drawn to one of these types of ministries, God might be gently nudging you to use the gifts you’ve been given. One piece of advice? Don’t wait until God has to give you a shove, instead. (Smiling.)

It isn’t arrogant to try to discern what your spiritual gifts might be. You likely didn’t do anything to receive them anyway – they are from God. What is not only arrogant, but insulting is to leave a gift from God just sitting there, unused, as though God made a mistake in giving it to you. Truly, if God gave you a gift, you should find a way to use it.

In God’s perfect plan, everyone uses the gifts and abilities they are given and uses them well. In a world that is hard and hurting, we need to figure out what God has given us and why, and use those gifts willingly, eagerly, and faithfully.