Only you can be you.
No one on this planet has the same mix of factors which make you, you. This means that no one else, except you, can play the role that God designed for you. If you don’t make your unique contribution to the world and the Body of Christ, it won’t be made.
In Day 30 we looked at two of the factors that SHAPE us. Our spiritual gifts and our heart. Let’s look at the rest.
SHAPE: Applying our Abilities. These are our talents. Some have natural athletic abilities, others a mind for mathematics and still others an aptitude toward the arts. I choose to see the abilities in my life as God given. The question is, are we using them for his fame or our own? The common excuse used by people not serving God is “I don’t have any abilities to offer”. This is not true. We all have abilities. Most people will go through life with their ability laying dormant. Every ability can be used to bring God glory. There is a place within the church and in the world at large where your abilities can shine. IT’S UP TO YOU TO FIND THAT PLACE. Our God given abilities were not given to us to make a living, they were given to us to fulfil our calling.
SHAPE: Using our Personality. Your uniqueness is a scientific fact. When God made you he broke the mould. There has never been, nor will there ever be another person exactly like you. God loves variety. God uses all types of personalities. The church needs all types of personalities. Our personality will affect how and where we use our spiritual gift. Two people may have the same gift but through their different personalities they use that gift in different ways. And that’s ok. This is why copying someones else’s ministry will never really work. We can learn from others but we should express what we’ve learnt through our own unique shape. “When you minister in a manner consistent with the personality God gave you, you experience fulfilment, satisfaction and fruitfulness” says Rick Warren.
SHAPE: Employing our Experiences. Life experience has shaped who we are. Most of these experiences have been out of our control. These experiences can be used by God to mould us. Our SHAPE comes from various past experiences. Our upbringing, our education, our jobs, our spiritual experiences, our painful experiences. It’s our painful experiences that God will use the most to prepare us for ministry.
“Your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt.”
Rick Warren
God will allow us to walk through pain which will equip us to best serve other people. Don’t hide your pain. Be willing to share it. Only our experiences can help people.
“Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happened to you.”
Aldous Huxley
We will be most effective when we use our spiritual gifts and abilities in the area of our hearts desire, and in a way that best expresses our personality and experiences.
Summary:
Remember – Nobody else can be me.
Key Bible Verse – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” 1 Peter 4:10 NIV
Pray – Lord, I ask for your spiritual gifts and that I may use them to best serve your church and the world.
Chat soon
Bevan
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