YOU are a Gift!

You are a Gift . . . a masterpiece even! 

            The Creator did some fine work when he knit you together

                                    in your mother's womb1

                                         just as you are...

                                      She too was a gift.

 

She had it all: looks, figure, intelligence, faith, warmth, family, education, vocation, athletic prowess and stamina.  However, she felt lacking.  And. she. was.  I did not say it, she did.  I will never forget when she looked across a small circle of women and asked, 'Can you just tell me my purpose?  I mean, why am I here?'

 

Not everyone asks the question; that's because they are afraid they will not get a satisfactory answer-

->Isn't it enough to be a mother? Isn't that where I should find purpose?

->I'm a structural engineer and design important buildings... isn't that where I should find purpose?

->I have taught high school for 23 years... isn't that my purpose?

->I was born into a farm family-I am a farmer for some 29 years now, I was born for this purpose...?

 

The answer to these and other questions is 'yes, but that's not all'.

You see, neither our station or vocation is our purpose, though both may be, in part.  The reason my friend (above) was not fulfilled was because she was not serving God/people from the gifts given her by God-that which I spoke of in last briefing:  the gifts of the Spirit.  These include: leadership, administration, teaching, hospitality, giving, service, encouragement, evangelism, and more.  You can read more about these in:                                                                                 1 Corinthians 12:  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012

and Romans 12.6-8:  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:6-8.

But that's still not all . . . God wants to use all of who we are, what we have experienced-both good and bad-to help others and serve him.  Are you a recovering alcoholic?  You can encourage someone else in the way God has gifted you because you have been there-you have personal understanding. 

The verse that many are familiar with and like to quote, gives us insight:       And we know that God causes all thingsto work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.2  "All things" that God uses to live out our purpose include:  our natural strengths, education, trials, struggles, experiences, personalities, and our spiritual gifts - "all things".  Oh, and one more thing-in my research, investigation and interviews, I have found that -our child's play/what we liked to do as a child, may very well be linked to our purpose .

Because I know myself best, permit me a personal illustration.  When I was a little girl, I loved to play 'school'.  I would set my dolls up in classroom style in my big ol' basement, and of course, I was the teacher.  Hold that thought.  Through high school and college, I had no intention whatsoever of being a teacher-did not want to be a teacher, but instead graduated college with a Communications  degree.  In my late 20s, because I wanted my children to have a Christian school education, I went back and got my credential, and started teaching.  Then . . . some years later, I warily stepped my toe into a women's Bible study, and before long, was asked to lead it.  (That was 22 ½ years ago)

From there, God took what was my natural bent, child's play, education and yes, spiritual gifts, and shaped my purpose to include teaching.  I will never ever forget the day I was teaching, had my hand in the air illustrating a point, and realized, 'this is what I was meant to do!' In addition, when I teach, I often include the trials and struggles of my life-as well as my dreams for life-to encourage other people.  That, I believe, is what God means, 'working all things together for good'.  In God's economy, nothing is wasted, if we give it to him to use.

You see, you are a Gift.  How you serve God and serve people is your gift to them.  And somewhere in the mix of these elements-what you enjoy, what you have learned, what you have defeated, how God has gifted you, what you played as a child, the disciplines you practice and your spiritual gift(s),  you discover your purpose. You ,  the Gift, are meant for life on purpose.

 

1 - Psalm 139.13

2 - Romans 8.28, NASB