Discovering and developing your gifts
17th September Laurence Singlehurst
It's like finding treasure.
Eph 3 v 20 to 4 v 14
The foundations of gifts are very important. Laurence feels this is something God is trying to do around the world and in our nation. Eph 3 v 20.
a) God's plan is to draw us close to his wonder and love, but circumstances and the devil try to take that away from us. We have to keep coming back to the wonder of who Jesus is, keep renewing our mind.
b) Live a life worthy of the calling – we are called to follow, to discipleship.
The only way the church can transform this pagan world is by transformed lives, discipleship has to be on the agenda. Truth is no longer enough, people need to see and touch the reality of Jesus in our lives.
God is seeking to transform us.
c) Eph 4 v 4 the body. God is seeking to release the body of Christ in the world, as we connect to each other and to God, to the realisation that we are part of God's purpose, we will transform the world. We need to glimpse God's passion to release his gifts within us, and glimpse the darkness encroaching on our world, which is growing.
The only people with light to shine into the darkness is the body of Christ, as we do so we will see something happen.
d) God wants to release a body of people who love sacrificially, moving beyond our emotions, caring for people who we don't really want to love, moving in the footsteps of Jesus.
The challenge for the church is do we have a big heart for people. As we reach out, that's what it's about, to be effective we have to have big hearts for the places we work, for the streets where we live, for the people around us.
These 4 areas comprise the foundation of gifts:
a) The wonder of who Jesus is
b) Live a life worthy of the calling (discipleship)
c) The body of Christ
d) Big hearts
This foundation transforms our gifts, including vocational ones, the things we do at work which could be maths or typing. We will bring transformation through our giftings.
Like a microclimate in the corner of a garden where you can create a different climate and grow plants in that corner which would not grown elsewhere in that garden, we can transform our corner of the workplace, street, social group, bring a little bit of the kingdom of God.
Sometimes our corner can be the whole garden. Laurence told the story of a Christian lady asked to help revamp the UK tax system, so she took her values of God's love into the inland Revenue and today people who phone them are treated like clients not victims. It's a different place today because she took her gifts to work and brought transformation.
What about the practicalities?
Laurence has a theory that our hardware and out software have to work together. God has hardwired things of himself into us, eg musical ability, artistic talent, gifts of words or ideas.
Laurence's guide to how to find your gifts:-
a) Some gifts are softwired – they are given to us by the Holy Spirit, placed in us. Psalm 37 v 4 delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. It may well be that God's gifting is something you enjoy doing.
b) What are you good at? Find your hardwiring. Every gift is equal in the sight of God, if not in the sight of man.
c) What do other people say you are good at?
d) What has God said to you?
Have a development plan. Often the problem is not discovering the gifts but developing them. What are you doing to develop your gifts. For example you are probably using your vocational gifts in your job or main activity.
For example, if I know I am to be a preacher, what skills do I need eg know the Bible, understand people, communication skills, understand people's problems. Laurence tackled the first of these by enrolling on umpteen Bible courses so he got to know the Bible very well.
Do you learn by doing or by reading/studying? Work with that.
Begin the process. As you develop your gift you develop faithfulness, doing what God has called you to do.
Don't listen to the little voice which says you can't do it, or that it didn't come from God. God can do abundantly more than whatever we ask or think. Believe that God wants to use you.
Start your development plan. Don't worry if you're asked to do something by someone other than God, it could still be part of his plan.
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