“Stir up the gift of God which is in you.”  2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV.

The purer the gift of God within, the more humble the heart and life possessing it.

My thoughts and comments today are about being “gifted.”

You have seen gifted people. They work with ease and assurance. Things seem to happen more effortlessly and successfully for them. They learn to expect success. Our son, Bruce, is an example; he is a master craftsman, building custom homes and church facilities large and small. The same task would baffle me. Bruce reads the plans, “sees” the structures as intended, understands the necessary engineering, and knows what building materials and skills are necessary to accomplish that. He is talented and experienced, but more. He is spiritually and naturally gifted with talents and skills that time and diligence have further developed.

God also designed your spiritual life to operate out of giftedness, both sovereign and supernatural. “Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 NKJV. God has placed gifts in you equal to the calling and purpose He intends for you. Do not allow them to reside dormant and unused.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father . .” James 1:17 NIV. Differentiate gifts from God for your personal blessing and edification from those gifts of God for your effective service. The Kingdom of God does not succeed because of your natural talents and human abilities; the best of those will ultimately be inadequate to His exceeding and eternal purposes. His Kingdom flourishes by the dedicated efforts of spiritually gifted people, submissive to Lordship and serving within His anointing.

The Apostle Peter wrote, “As each one (that means you) has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God . . Do not neglect the gift of God that is in you . .” 1 Peter 4:10/1 Timothy 4:14 NKJV. The more you recognize and respond to the God-given and Spirit-anointed gifts within you, the more confidently and effectively you will serve God.

God accepts the responsibility to provide you with what you need to do His will effectively, then instructs and directs you in their application. You are to accept the responsibility to discover, develop, and then implement your spiritual gifts and natural talents, “If anyone ministers, let them do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ . .” 1 Peter 4:11 NKJV. The ultimate goal is to exalt God, the Giver of gifts, not the gift nor yourself.

Paul’s message to the Christians at Rome is good counsel for us as well: “For I say, through the grace of God given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith . . Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them . .” Romans 12:3/6 NKJV.

Here is what I have observed about gifted people: the purer the gift of God within, the more humble the heart and life possessing it. Young Timothy received good advice, “Do your best to win full approval in God’s sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work . .” 2 Timothy 2:15 TEV. Desire God’s approval above all else.

My prayer for you today is that you accept giftedness with neither boasting nor apology.