Open Your Gifts for the New Year

The term spiritual gifts is defined by Wikipedia as “an endowment or extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit. These are the supernatural graces which individual Christians need to fulfill the mission of the Church”.

I’ve been feeling restless lately in my spiritual journey.  A nagging emptiness looms over me as I struggle to pinpoint what it is that God wants me doing to further His kingdom.  I am an active church member.  I sing, tithe, worship, pray, and volunteer whenever possible.  But lately, it doesn’t feel I am doing “enough”.

So today, in church, our pastor brought up spiritual gifts and being set apart to do the Lord’s work and again I find myself struggling to place myself in God’s big plan.  I want to be impactful, helpful, and effective in leading others toward God.  But how? 

Our pastor finished by reminding us today that it isn’t about us, it’s about Him.  It’s like a light bulb went off for me.  IT IS NOT ABOUT ME.  IT IS ABOUT HIM.  Every gift or talent or personality trait we have been gifted is not ours, but HIS, and we are to hone and sharpen those skills to SERVE Him.  The gift that stands out for me the most at this moment in time is my love for writing.  I remember being selected many times in elementary to participate in extracurricular writing groups and contests and at such a young age, I didn’t see the reason or value in this gift bestowed to me by the Father.  But now, I see more clearly.  I am merely here as a vessel to share what God has done for me, and everything I compose is to honor and glorify Him.  What a freeing discovery. It’s NOT about me! It’s NOT about you!

So, being a fresh year, let’s all take a look at our gifts. Open them up.  Rather, let us understand that what we’ve been given isn’t for us and our pleasure but to glorify the Maker.   Love to sing? Join a worship team.  Love to speak publicly? Make yourself available to speak about your testimony to others in a work or church setting where appropriate.  Love children?  Volunteer in a church nursery or children’s program.  Take the spotlight off of yourself and at the same time you’ll be removing the pressure.  It isn’t even about us, it’s about the great and Holy One.  He doesn’t expect perfection, but effort.  He is able to do all things so if we give a little of ourselves, He will provide the rest. 

This is a very refreshing and uplifting thought for the New Year and I hope you can apply it to your own life. 

God Bless.