Day Thirty Two: Using What God Gave You

What was insightful or convicting to you in the reading today?

This is a great quote:

What you are is God's gift to you;
what you do with yourself is your gift to God.
~ Danish Proverb

At times it can be difficult accepting who you are. And it is usually always difficult becoming better at what you do. Which is why this chapter was so encouraging to me, and maybe to you too.

God deserves your best. He doesn't want you to worry about or covet abilities you don't have. When you attempt to serve Go in ways you're not shaped to serve, it feels like forcing a square peg into a round hole. It's frustrating and produces limited results. It also wastes your time, your talent, and your energy.

The Bible says, "Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to." Take a long, honest look at what you are good at and what you're not good at. Paul advised, "Try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities." Ask questions like these: Where have I seen fruit in my life that other people confirmed? Where have I already been successful?  The best way to discover your gifts and abilities is to experiment with different areas of service.

You will never know what you are good at until you try. Paul advised (again!), "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that." Again, it helps to get feedback from those who know you best. Ask yourself these questions:
What do I really enjoy doing most?
What do I feel the most fully alive?
What am I doing when I lose track of time?
Do I like routine or variety?
Do I prefer serving with a team or by myself?
Am I more introverted or extroverted?
Am I more a thinker or a feeler?
Which do I enjoy more - competing or cooperating?

Review your life and think about how it has shaped you. Moses told the Israelites, "Remember today what you have learned about the LORD through your experiences with him." Forgotten experiences are worthless; that's a good reason to keep a spiritual journal. We rarely see God's good purpose in pain or failure or embarrassment while it is happening. Only in hindsight do we understand how God intended a problem for good.

In case we have missed one of the main points of this reading today:)

Since God knows what's best for you, you should gratefully accept the way he has fashioned you. Part of accepting your shape is recognizing your limitations. Nobody is good at everything, and no one is called to be everything. When we try to overextend our ministry reach beyond what God shaped us for, we experience stress.

God wants you to enjoy using the shape he has given you. The Bible says, "Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else." Satan will try to steal the joy of service from you in a couple of ways: by tempting you to compare your ministry with others, and by tempting you to conform your ministry to the expectations of others. Whenever you lose your joy in ministry, start by considering if either one of these temptations is the cause.

I need to read and reread this:

The Bible warns us never to compare ourselves with others: "Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others." There are two reasons why you should never compare your shape, ministry, or the results of your ministry with anyone else. First, you will always be able to find someone who seems  to be doing a better job than you and you will become discouraged. Or you will always be able to find someone who doesn't seem as effective as you and you will get full of pride.

Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God's commendation.

Jesus' parable of the talents illustrates that God expects us to make the most of what he gives us. We are to cultivate our gifts and abilities, keep our hearts aflame, grow our character and personality, and broaden our experiences so we will be increasingly more effective in our service.

Whatever gifts you have been given can be enlarged and developed through practice. For instance, no one gets the gift of teaching fully developed. But with study, feedback, and practice, a "good" teacher can become a better teacher, and with time, grow to be a master teacher. Don't settle for a half-developed gift. Stretch yourself and learn all you can. "Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of."