As I'm sitting here trying to collect my thoughts on what to write exactly I can't help but think about PEOPLE! How unique we all are in our lives. I mean we are all unique in so many ways, physically, mentally, emotionally in everything! However different we all are we all have common desires and needs. I know there have been times in my life where I haven't really felt "up to par" with those around me. Feeling inadequate and of no use to the task at hand or people around me. I'm sure everyone has had a few moments in their life like this. For me it frequently occurred in school when teams were being picked for sports. I wasn't ever one of the first ones picked. Then it was with my grades, never did I feel I had the ability to get straight A's, I was happy if I could get C's!! However there seemed to be other things that I could do without much thought, I could talk! When I got older and began working in construction it seemed like whatever I needed to do I could do after a little explanation was given. Painting quickly became a great job that I stuck with and got quite good at. I didn't have to really think about it, I enjoyed it and I was great at it! I was able to paint whole buildings and houses in a matter of a few weeks with little or no help from others because I could just rock and roll on it! 1 Peter 4:10 says "God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." No matter what you may think, God has given you gifts and talents. They may come in the form of anything from sports, to cooking, to the job you do, working with children, being hospitable, being generous, kind, joyful. You could be a gifted writer, artist, scientist, teacher, gardener. The list can literally go on forever! This is a promise that we have from the Lord that He does gift us all in some way with the intention that we will bless others with it. This verse is a great reminder to me. That all that I am able to do, I am to use these gifts to serve others. How do I go about serving others with my gifts? Well first I need to discover and acknowledge my gifts. Then I must decide how I can use those gifts to serve others. It isn't that difficult, all I have to do is find out what I like to do, what I'm good at and then in turn bless others with that! So many times in my life I have found myself focused more on the things I can't do then the things I can do. I get so bugged down and upset that I'm not able to do this thing as well as other people. However I know that there are things in me that I can do better than others. It is a matter of identifying those and putting my time and energy into those areas of my life and serving others in it!
I want to challenge you this week to take some time and make a list of the gifts God has given you. Maybe you will need to take time to pray and dig a little deeper than you thought but I guarantee that you will find something and more than likely multiple things that you are gifted in. Then I would encourage you to take that gift and serve others with it. It can be just a small little something but the feeling you will get from blessing someone with something that comes so easily to you is incredible! Someone may be so grateful and all you'd be thinking is WOW that wasn't really anything for me! It will bring a smile to your face, other peoples faces, and most importantly the face of the Lord! Go do some inventory of yourself and discover ways you can help and serve those around you this week! May the Lord bless you all in your serving of one another!
