Gifts

Joyce Meyer devotional. Text: 1 Corinthians

12:11

:  

It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

I love this devotional this morning. Because Joyce is talking about how to discover and develop the gifts that God has given you. And it really has made me think about what gifts are in me.  She encourages you to focus on your strengths And really exercise the gifts that God has given you. Find something that you like to do and do it over and over again so that you become good at it.  As you become good at it your confidence begins to build. And you need that confidence, because you are going to get criticism. That is part of being an instrument of God.

I am finding that what I thought were the gifts that God would use me for in ministry, are not really what I'm using in ministry (today at least). I am a very creative and artistic person, and I always thought that God would use me in those gifts. And I'm not saying that he won't. But the gifts that are so natural to me,  like laughter, listening, encouragement, and communication,  I'm using every day to bring glory to my God. I use these gifts at work, and at play, and during my time with my sisters in Christ.  

God has gifted me with a special way of relating to people. And because of this gift I am able to make wonderful connections when networking with other people in other businesses and when sitting down with a potential client. And God has given me a heart to help people, to really give them something of value when I sit down with them. This helps them, but also it is helping me immensely with my business of Medicare supplement insurance sales.

God is so good that way.  He allows us to use the gifts within us, that bring us pleasure and peace. But he also allows us to use them to bring value to other people. And that in itself is ministry.