Shift from marginal to unimaginable.
We often do things in church or "for God" because that's what church people do, not from a passion or desire to serve in that capacity. In a sense, we re-gift--we put people in an area where they aren't gifted or don't belong in order to fill a void. We often guilt them and the moment they say "yes" everybody loses. Most importantly, God loses because the highest praise and greatest talents are not being put to His benefit.
Romans 12:4-6 reads:
"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us..."
So, how do I know I'm serving in the area in which I'm gifted? It's actually pretty simple: You're good at it (we're not talking just your opinion)!
God doesn't want mediocrity that results from serving outside your gifts when you could be doing SO MUCH MORE! We could be much more effective in bringing glory to God!
You shouldn't be working to the best of your ability, but to the best of God's ability, which means utilizing the gifts God has given us!
Sloppy leadership leads people out of guilt; Spiritual leadership leads people out of gifting.
Find your gift and match it with your passion!
How do you know it's the right thing? You love to do it. People will affirm you when you're working within your gift and passion.
It might be time for a change and not just for your own sake.
Our pastor often leaves us with the following verse as a benediction at the end of a service:
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."To HIM be the glory! When we put our gifts (that He has given us) to use, we bring the greatest glory to our Lord. What really struck me as fascinating is how we can't even imagine what it would look like if we ALL made the shift to purposefully utilize our gifts and passions. We can't even imagine it!
I don't know about you, but it was really enlightening to hear this sermon today. I've frequently been complaining about my job and this-and-that, and, even though I have been pursuing change, it's not so much in the foreground of my life. I had never heard a sermon on this topic. So often, especially in churches, we are constantly begging for volunteers or someone to help with this event or some people to work in the nursery, without really considering who we might get to fill these spots and what their true talents may be.
Interesting, huh?
This weekend's message isn't posted online, yet, but soon you can catch it here:
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