“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”
‭‭Philippians 2:3

 
We are all given various gifts and talents from God. (Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:7). These gifts and talents are given by God to be used to serve others and glorify Him (Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10).

In fact, in Exodus 31 while speaking with Moses, we see God list gifts and talents that He personally provided to individuals (to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Exodus 31:4-5).

Sometimes though, before becoming followers of Jesus Christ, we use the gifts and talents God gives us in sinful ways or when in sin.

I know several people who, because they used their gifts and/or talents in sinful ways or while immersed in sin, they no longer use their God given gifts at all.

One gentleman was an extremely gifted artist, but because he had used his God given talent to draw awful things when he was in sin, he absolutely refused to ever use that talent again. He said “Because of the way I robbed God of glory by the way I used the talent He gave me, I’ll never use it again.”

So because The way that he used the talent God gave him for things that robbed Him of glory, he chose to continue to rob God of glory by not using the talent or glorifying Him with it at all. In this instance who is he serving, Not himself (he’s not pleasing or glorifying God, which is in his own best interest), not God (He has plans for how He wants to use those gifts and talents through this man, but those plans are not being accomplished)…who then is he serving? The enemy! He is the one convincing the man to stifle those gifts and talents that God gave him.

Gifts and talents are no different than our very lives. They are given to us by God, to be used for His glory, purposes and honor. We don’t stop living once we come to Christ and realize how sinfully we lived our lives. Neither should we stop using our gifts and talents if they were a part of that life.

How much more is God glorified when we can testify to the healing and renewal we find when we give our lives to Christ and begin to use those gifts and talents to serve others and glorify Him?!?

Now, we must also be careful not to be lured into using those same gifts and talents to glorify ourselves. The enemy knows our weakness and there is a reason that God says through our main verse that we are to do nothing out of selfish ambition or gain. It is easy to revel in those accolades and not turn that glory to God instead. But if we understand that we can accomplish nothing of eternal value apart from God, we also realize that it is only through Him that we can do anything of true worth. We should also remember that the Lord giveth and the Lord can taketh away. If we fall into self glorification with these gifts or talents, we may find that we no longer have them. And again, when we glorify ourselves, who are we serving, not us, not God, again it is the enemy.

I pray that we would begin to appreciate and hone those gifts and talents that God has given us. I pray that we would begin to use them to serve others and glorify and honor God. After all He is worthy of all honor and glory. I’m convinced that if we do, we will be shocked by the abundant, eternal impact He will make through us. Thank you God for every good and perfect gift, most of all the salvation found in Christ alone.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and have no idea what your God given gifts and talents might be, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. God longs to forgive you and wants to bless you by using those talents and gifts He has given you to glorify Himself and rescue others from eternal damnation too. Please pray that prayer and once you do, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com. I’d love to be in prayer for you!

luv ya!