A Happy Healthy Church: Devotions From Time of Grace MinistrySample

MY MINISTRY: YOU HAVE GIFTS

Over the years I have met some Christians with a very broken spirit. "I'm of no use to God. I deserve to be fired from the team. I've got nothing. Basically I'm just killing time until I die." I fear that unless something major happens to change their thinking, they will live out their lives as disappointed, frustrated, crabby individuals, depressed and hating themselves.

If only they had read 1 Peter. God's Word assures us that each of us has great worth in God's eyes and also important gifts to be used in his service. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10).

The Lord not only saved you to live with him someday, but he saved you also to be useful to him right now. If you are having trouble identifying your unique God-given gifts, do two things: first, ask the people around you what they appreciate about you. You might be surprised. Second, listen to your heart and identify where you have a passion for helping people.

Now bring to the Lord whatever you've been given and give it back to him.