Created For A Purpose
God uses average people, like us, to be His hands and feet on the earth. He isn’t confined by who He will use or by how He will use us. We serve a creative God! Consider the vastness of His creation, from the different species in the animal kingdom, the tremendous variety of plants & vegetation, to His use of every color and variation in our color spectrum. He paints the sky every evening and lights up our day with His brilliance every morning. He has made us in His own likeness, and in the same way that we have our own unique fingerprint, He has given us each valuable, one-of-a-kind gifts.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT
When we embrace our uniqueness, the spiritual gifts we’ve been given, and discover how God speaks to us, it is a brand new stage of self-discovery! Realizing who we are in Christ and how to function in the gifts we’ve been given is life changing. In all the excitement and enthusiasm of discovery, it’s quite easy to forget why we’ve been given these gifts. It reminds me of my Mom’s response to those enamored with the way God was using her and my Dad to travel internationally to minister. When people would tell her that she must be very special for God to use, she would tell them God must love the people so very much, that He would send her to visit them from her home in Boise, Idaho. You see, when God uses us, it is because we say, “Yes” to Him. He gives us gifts to bless others and accomplish His purposes. It isn’t for our benefit, although we are blessed in the process.
“If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12:8 NLT
