Over the years my diary was lost, but my secrets have remained with me. Now I write in journals, but even today, rarely do I share my writing with others. No one wants to be vulnerable and share their innermost thoughts. What will people think? Transparency is not something that comes easy.
When God began asking me to share my writing, I doubted that I had anything to say - let alone anything that someone else would want to hear. It took my daughter starting her own blog to inspire me. I realized I had taught my daughter to confidently follow her dreams. I had taught her that she's gifted by God and that she could use her gifts to make her world a better place. I had taught her that she has a voice and that she could use that voice to encourage and add value to others. I had taught her to believe that what she says and does matters. So why do I have such a hard time believing that about myself?
Many times as Christians we are so busy trying to be humble that we fail to see what we do have to offer. Romans 12:3 (NLT) says that we should be honest in our evaluation of ourselves, measuring our value based on what God has given us. We should not think we are better than we really are, but neither should we think we are less than we really are. Throughout the New Testament, Paul plainly tells us that God has given each of us special abilities. These abilities are for our benefit and for God's glory, but also and possibly most importantly, for the benefit of others. Our gifts are given to us to help other believers reach a position of strength and maturity. Failing to open up and share our gifts is the exact opposite of what the writer of Hebrews tells us to do. Chapter 10 verse 24 says that we should watch over one another with continuous care and look for ways that we can stir up and incite one another to love, good deeds and noble activities. When we are too insecure to operate boldly in our gifts or doubt that we have anything to offer, we are robbing others of the gifts that God intended for their benefit - gifts that can in turn strengthen, encourage and incite them to help others.
Unlike a diary, your gifts were not designed to be kept secret. I encourage you today to look at the gifts God has given you and carefully consider how you can use them for God's intended purpose. Your gifts are no more or no less important than the gifts God has given to others, but they are needed by others. Without you, we are not complete. Without you, we limp along instead of running the race with joy and endurance as God intended. Without your gifts to help us reach maturity, we will never be able to realize our full potential and effectively reach others for Christ.
As you begin to exercise your gifts, you may feel vulnerable. You may have to risk appearing foolish. You may even make some mistakes along the way. Don't be discouraged if you step out and don't do everything perfectly at first. Spiritual gifts must be developed. Just like muscles, the more you use them the stronger they become. And before long, just like God intended, you'll be strong enough to help lift up others.
The Next Step:
- Read Romans 12:4-8, The Living Bible
- Read Ephesians 4:4-16, The Living Bible
- Read 1 Corinthians 12, New Living Translation
- Read Hebrews 10:24, The Amplified Bible
- Read Romans 12:3, New Living Translation
- Discover your spiritual gifts with the Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire: The Easy to Use, Self-Guided Questionnaire by C. Peter Wagner.
- Understand more about spiritual gifts with Kay Arthur's 6-week, no homework bible study Understanding Spiritual Gifts.
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