As I look back, I realize that a driving force behind most of what I’ve done in my life has been the desire for significance—to do something with my gifts.
I admit that I want my life to count. I don’t want to just flow through this earthly existence from my birth date to the day I die and leave nothing behind except the dash on my tombstone to indicate that I was here.
Consequently, I’ve chosen to answer the gracious call of God and hook my life up with His. The line is not in the Bible verbatim, but the id
ea is there and the quote from the old spiritual song is true: only what you do for Christ will last.
“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:11, 14-15, NKJV).
So for me, I recognize my spiritual gifts to be in the areas of teaching, knowledge, leadership and wisdom. My calling, therefore, is to use these gifts for the furtherance of the gospel and for the edification of the body of Christ. That’s why I write, speak and teach seminars about the Bible and its application to our lives. Words are the vehicle God has given me through which to express my gifts.
Knowing all of that helped me identify with Paul as he was explaining himself to the church at Corinth. He said:
“And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, NKJV).
Even though Paul had education and a fine pedigree, he humbled all of that under the hand of God and subjected it to the Holy Spirit. He didn’t apologize for his gifts or his position, but he turned everything inside of him over to the Holy Spirit.
We can’t use our gifts unless we know our gifts. We can’t be effective in our calling unless we embrace our gifts. We can’t be powerful in the operation of our gifts unless we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit.
What are your gifts? Your gifts and your calling go hand in hand. Don’t just stand around bragging about them; put them to use as you are guided to do so by the Holy Spirit.
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