Embracing the Fullness of Your Calling in ChristSample

Your Assignment: Gifts and Good Works

"Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." Ephesians 4:1 (ESV)

Spiritual gifts are the supernatural abilities God equips us with to build up the body of Christ in mature knowledge of His Son. When Christ ascended, He gave spiritual gifts to His body as part of our identity and calling. He gives us grace in proportion to our gifts and the good works He assigns us to do each season.

Discovering our gifts is a process that happens over time. As we make ourselves available for service to others in the body of Christ and our local church, we become aware of our spiritual gifts and begin to discern our assignment - the good works God created and called us to do. God desires us to discover and utilize our gifts, but He doesn't want us to focus on our gifts and lack character.

However, some people operate in their spiritual gifts without submitting to God's plan to walk worthy of their callings. The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. Therefore, we can operate in our spiritual gifts and never change our character. It is possible to live in disobedience and sin and use your gifts to do good works. Spiritual gifts without godly character are a snare for the believer that can lead us to fall back into our former conduct, separate us from God, and bring God's punishment.

Paul, knowing this, began the portion of his letter about spiritual gifts by urging believers to walk worthy of our callings with humility, gentleness, and patience. He warned us not to act like non-believers, to put off our old selves, daily if necessary, and to put on our new selves, created in the image of God.

When we make our gifts about ourselves and not about serving others, we miss the purpose of our gifts. When we submit to God's image and character, we can walk worthy of our calling, and our gifts will make room for us.

Prayer: Lord, please help me to walk worthy of my calling, to cultivate my character and my gifts within the body of Christ, and to put on Christ every day.