1 Corinthians 12:4-7

I often hear people being described as gifted. They may be a particularly able pianist, flower arranger or speaker. I understand what is being said, but it could be misleading. It seems to suggest that there are two types of people – those who are gifted and those who are, sadly, not gifted at all. This passage makes it clear that every one of us is gifted. Whatever your age, strength, ability or disability, background or temperament you have got a unique gift that God, in his generosity, has given to you.

Our task is therefore to discover the gift that God has given to us and to make sure that we use it. People have often told me that they don’t know what their gift is. If that’s true of you let me offer you a very simple five-step plan. Firstly, thank God for your gift, even though you haven’t worked out what it is yet. Secondly, ask God what your gift is. Since he has gone to the trouble of giving it to you, we can assume that he would love you to know what it is. Thirdly, open your eyes. Look around you and see if you can spot what your gift is, because it is often very obvious. To be honest, the problem can be that we know exactly what our gift is and would prefer that we had been given a different one. Fourthly, if you still haven’t worked out what your gift is, ask someone who knows you well. I suspect that they will be very clear what your gift is. Then, fifthly, use this gift and remember to keep thanking God for it.

Question

What is your gift and how are you using it?

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift that you have given me. Help me to use it effectively. Amen