1 Corinthians 12
We are part of the body of Christ. We are all connected. Everyone has significance because we are all needed to complete the body. But our significance can't be overblown, because we are incomplete without every other part. I can't do it alone.
What is vital is seeking to understand how God has gifted me. As I understand how God has gifted me, I can understand my role in the body of Christ, the church.
This is like many scripture passages that I have read countless times, but occasionally there's a big "Aha!" How magnificent is our Lord to make us in such miraculous ways! How can anyone be a non-believer and really THINK about the gift of our bodies!
ReplyDeleteEven at this "senior" stage in life, I am always searching for my gifts and what is it that God wants me to do with my life. When I realized how common is this thought was several years ago when our dear friend Worthy was in my Bible study group. We were meeting at her son's home as she was in her last stages of life and on oxygen. One day her comment was "I just wonder what is God's purpose for me in this part of my life? What does He want me to do with my life?" My prayer is for God to guide me as to how I might best use His gifts to His glory.
In providing pastoral care and counseling to many people these almost 20 years of ministry in the UMC, I have many times been asked, "how do I discovery what my gifts are?"
ReplyDeleteI get excited when this happens, for it is one of my greatest joys as a pastor to help others discover/affirm their gifts.
In my own life, when I first arrived at FUMC-Grapevine to serve with Ken on the Pastoral Staff, I was working to re-write my personal mission statement "to makea joyful noise where ever I am, or to cause one to be made."
Clarity regarding my personal mission statement came when I focused again on my streghts and gifts. When one discovers their gifts, the positive consequences include a sense of calmness, along with a clearer sense of focus. But the greatest thing that happened for me, was my being able to say "No" to many of the distractions in life that were trying to draw me away from the things I wanted to do because I had the gifts to do them.
The entire exercise was well worth the effort.