Power Behind a Gift

Dear Readers:

It has been a long time since I have blogged. Life got busier to where it affected my time and frankly, my desire to work on my blog as I once did. However, in the last several weeks, God put on my heart a desire to get back to writing on my blog.

As I’ve started working on posts again for my blog, I reflected on why I began this blog in the first place. I started this blog because instead of continuing to search for blogs or vlogs that had a waiting story like mine (single young woman who’s never dated and desires to wait only for the young man God has for her) God pointed out to me that I should be the one to write what I’d been searching for. My prayer is that all my posts first, point teen girls, young women, and women who are waiting as a single or waiting in other areas of their lives to God; and second, my prayer is that any woman who reads my blog knows that you are not alone in this journey of waiting. Everyone on this earth has to wait, but whenever we wait on God, it is always worth it. Remembering the why behind my blogging confirmed that it needed to continue to be one of the ways that I use my gift of writing.

Settling that I should blog again does not mean that in the last several weeks, there hasn’t been a hesitancy to blog. One of the reasons for my hesitancy was time. I knew that I wouldn’t have the same amount of time to devote to writing like I once did; in addition, I thought that the time I did have could be better used elsewhere. The thing about life is, as we get busier, sometimes we lose sight of what is important.

What is important? When you read “gift” earlier in this post, what did you think? Some might’ve thought about giving presents to loved ones for their birthday or on Christmas. Others might’ve thought of a gifted actor/actress, athlete, or singer—someone that the majority of people agree is gifted or talented. How many when reading “gift” thought of his or herself? Regardless of whether you thought about yourself or not, GOD GAVE EACH OF US GIFTS.

Take singers as an example in regard to gifted. There are many singers in the world just think of all the talent shows that search for the next special singer. With so many singers, one can make a case that multiple singers are gifted in their craft. One could say one singer is gifted because of how unique their voice is, or because of their stage presence, their songwriting, the list can go on and on for reasons. In the debate of which singer a person proclaims is the best or most gifted comes the realization that each singer touches people differently.

One can use their gifts without God’s involvement, and it very well may touch people as in the example above; however, there is a key difference when you allow God to use the gifts He gave you. The apostle Peter says it this way,

¹⁰Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:10-11).

The gifts that God gave each of us were not given to us to remain dormant as we go through our lives on earth; nor were our gifts intended simply for our own enjoyment; our gifts are to be used to point people to the one who gave them to us in the first place: God. When used for God, our gifts can have the power to further God’s kingdom.

Since we each have gifts that God can use to make an eternal impact, we should never compare the importance of the gifts we have to another person. Paul writes,

⁴For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully (Romans 12:4-8).

We all will experience internal struggles in the process of allowing God to use us. We even see several examples in the Bible of God wanting to use His children, but the question was always would His son or daughter let Him. So, how can we overcome what stops us from saying yes to God using our gifts? Philippians 4:13 says, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Pray for God’s help in overcoming those doubts or thoughts of comparison or whatever is stopping you. He will, and it just might be as you take steps towards what He put on your heart to do with your gifts.

• • • Was there a time when the busyness of your life kept you from using your gifts?
    • When you face an internal struggle, what verse(s) help you overcome it?

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All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version and New Living Translation