What to Do

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV)

“What’s my purpose? Why am I here? What’s the meaning of life?” If you’re anything like me, these were the kind of questions I would constantly ask before I entered into a living relationship with God through His Son. 

As a matter of fact, these were the type of questions that served in large part to lead me to this life-changing relationship! Without a doubt, knowing God brings the answers to these (and so many more) questions. And here in this passage, Peter answers the question of “What’s my purpose?” in large part. He does so by reminding us of three important things.

First, every Christian who has placed their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior has been given a gift. What is that gift? It’s the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit! Once that happens, the Holy Spirit begins a lifelong resident work in their heart—a work which includes imparting a spiritual gift, a divine enablement, that wasn’t there before. Each and every believer in Christ is given at least one such gift by God. 

Second, each Christian is expected to use their gift. The gift is not to be left idle or dormant. It is meant to be exercised and put to work. All of us probably have a gift or two that somebody gave us that’s just lying around doing nothing. What good is a gift that doesn’t get used? The same logic applies to the spiritual gifts we’ve been given.

Third, every Christian is to use their gift, not for their own self-seeking purposes, but for the sake of other believers. This is critical! We don’t own our gifts to benefit ourselves, but we’ve been given the gifts to bless others. They are to operate in an others-oriented fashion. The word Peter uses to describe their operation is “minister,” which implies the focus is on someone else in need.

So, when it comes to the age-old question of “What’s my purpose in life?”, we see that much of it is to be actively engaged in ministering to others, literally serving them, with the divine enablement that God has planted in us by His Spirit. By doing so, we avoid focusing our lives on ourselves, which is like quicksand to the soul. But by using our spiritual gifts for the needs of others, we please God and reflect His good and gracious ways!   

PAUSE: How does Peter answer the question about our life purpose here? What three things must be remembered from this passage?

PRACTICE: Write down practical steps you can take from today’s verse to better define your life’s focus.

PRAY: Father, I thank You that You made me on purpose and with a purpose, that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray that Your purposes and plans, Your will for my life would be done. I pray that You would draw me deeper into that purpose each day and reveal it to me. Amen.