“God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another…. I have a part in a great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall love as Christ loved, I shall do his work.” —John Henry Newman, Meditations and Devotions

Oftentimes, people who find fulfillment and satisfaction will say they are doing “what they were born to do.” That phrase communicates that doing anything else would be contrary to one’s identity or existence. A fish must swim. A bird must fly. The same is true for Christians. A child of God must use his/her gifts and talents bestowed by God. To do anything else would be contrary to one’s identity in Christ. Look at the words of Paul in Ephesians 2

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do —Ephesians 2:8-10

Paul draws a direct connection between our salvation and our response. We are saved by grace — it is not of ourselves. Yet, our response to that salvation is to be God’s handiwork. We are to respond to grace by serving the world. We are to use the talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts that God has given us to serve and love others. The discipline of service involves taking the time and effort to recognize how God created us uniquely and then using those strengths to serve others.

Growth Challenge:

Reflect on your own spiritual gifts, strengths, talents, and abilities. If you have never done this before, you can utilize various resources for guidance.** Gifts are normally positive skills or social attributes you have that are confirmed by those around you. As you think about your unique giftedness, answer these questions:

-How can I use my abilities and strengths to serve others in a practical manner?
-Which of my strengths am I using currently to serve others, and which ones am I neglecting to use?

Finish your time in prayer — ask God to help you use your gifts and talents to serve Him and others in love.

Potential resources to utilize:
StrengthsFinder
High5: A free alternative for finding strengths
A Spiritual gifts assessment