Eyes to SeeSample

If we are ever unsure of God’s intimate love for us or how He places us exactly where He wants us to be, we only have to read through Psalm 139. God is not only fully aware of all our activities, but He designed us and knew what our lives would look like, even before we were born. It’s clear that God uses all our uniqueness to equip us for the specific work He has in mind for us. It’s freeing to realize that God doesn’t expect us to do everything. God’s call and the gifts He gives each of us are as different as our individual fingerprints.

At the same time, God has very clear plans for each of us. He has prepared specific good works in advance for each of us to do (Ephesians 2:10). And when we use the way God created us to serve Him, we become more like Christ. So, how do we figure out what that looks like? We can find clues in our gifts, skills, and passions.

Gifts:

God gives each Christian “spiritual gifts” to serve others both inside and outside the Church. Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-28 and Ephesians 4:11 list some of God's gifts to Christians. No one receives all the gifts, but none of us are without a gift, either! We discover these gifts as we serve in community and as others see them in us. There are also spiritual gift tests online that can help you identify where God has gifted you!

Skills:

It’s easy to see why musical skills are useful to the church. But have you considered how your professional skills, green thumb, or sense of humour can be used for God’s Kingdom? You can use your skills to love others in many creative ways. Pray and ask God how your skills could be used for the good of your community and beyond!

Passions:

Some things in this world capture our hearts, inspire us or compel us to action. Oftentimes, our passions come out of personal experiences— something we’ve suffered through, a place we’ve visited, or a desire we can’t seem to shake. Perhaps the things we shed tears over are the areas that God calls us to serve.

Assess needs:

Find out what the needs in your community and globally are. Look into how people are currently responding to these needs and consider how you can contribute to a long-term impact that works towards the dignity and flourishing of others.

As we consider where God might call us to serve Him, we can trust He will guide us. The first step is to pray for that guidance. He will show us what He wants us to do and how He has uniquely qualified us to do it.

Reflect:

What gifts, skills, and passions do you have that you can use to serve others?

Pray:

Lord, You made me in all my uniqueness. You placed me where you did for a reason. Help me see how I can use my gifts to meet the world’s service needs. Amen.