Scripture
Romans 12:6-8 HCSB
Prayer
Father thank You for the gift of today. Thank You for the talents that You have blessed me with. I pray to always share those talents with others, doing so in Your name and with honor, and may my sharing always have a positive and lasting impact. Amen.
Reflection
We’re not all made to possess the identical gifts and talents as the person next to us. God made us uniquely individual, but as direct reflections of Him. We all possess traits and characteristics of God that show and magnify differently depending on the person. Strength unfolds differently for each person. But it doesn’t minimize or negate the fact that it is strength, as it is a quality reflected from God.
There are certain things that you are good, great, excellent, and genius at yet you’re either barely scratching the surface or not making any attempts to show and share these gifts. It’s not about the fanfare, and it shouldn’t be. You should be sharing those gifts God gave to you in honor of Him, as a thank You to Him, as a testimony to how great, loving, generous, and forgiving He is!
God has given you gifts. Pay it forward by sharing those gifts and talents with others. Don’t complain about what you don’t receive in your giving. You don’t see God complaining about your poor, pitiful efforts to honor and obey Him. He’s not having a temper tantrum every time you fail to thank Him for something that He’s done. You don’t see Him snatching back His gifts.
For those cynics who would say, “God takes back gifts,” I would say, “No, God gives you free will to use or squander your gifts. Those gifts aren’t gone, they are still there like rusty equipment in a shed. The longer you let it sit there and get eaten away by the elements, you will find its use is minimizing. God didn’t take them away. You stopped using them.”
Now I could also say that abuse of gifts is reason for God to remove them from your abusive hands. I’ve witnessed someone abuse a gift, lose it, redeem themselves, and regain it or regain another amazing gift in its place. As the saying goes, “use it or lose it“.
Our relationship with God is not one-sided. Your efforts, faith without sight, obedience on His terms, and thankful praise are ways that we give back in small amounts to our Creator.
What talents do you possess that you aren’t using fully or joyfully and sharing with others?
~Natasha
