We all love to open presents at Christmas. Whether young, old or anywhere in between, we all love gifts. When we see a gift wrapped and sitting under the tree with our name on it, we can hardly wait to tear it open. We just can’t wait to see what is inside. Will it be something we can wear, something we can play with or something we read? At that point we aren’t sure but we know that someone chose it especially for us.
When I was a young boy, I loved trying to find the perfect give for everyone on my list. I would head off to K-Mart and Target searching every department to find something that would have great meaning for the person to whom I was giving it. Each one was selected with care based on what the recipient cared about or enjoyed.
In this same way, God has wrapped some special gifts within each of us. They are gifts or talents He chose especially for us. He took the time and made a concerted effort to choose gifts that would fit us perfectly and be unique to us.
Have you unwrapped the gifts God has given you yet? Have you really taken the time to look inside and notice the unique gifts God gave you in life? Have you shared those gifts with the people around you?
Maybe you are thinking God didn’t give you a gift of value. It is easy to look at others and notice the special gifts and talents that have been bestowed upon them. We ask why God gave beauty or athletic ability, academic prowess or leadership skills to so and so. We often become envious and say, "If only God would have given those gifts to me, I would use them to their fullest instead of letting them sit idle like that person." We often feel dejected and think that God left us high and dry; giftless.
Well guess again! Others are likely looking at you with the same envy and saying the exact same thing. Often times they see the gifts we have been given and wonder why we aren’t opening these valuable gifts and making the most of them NOW!
God has given us all spiritual gifts in addition to the physical gifts that are evident to those around us. The spiritual gifts are harder to see but they are every bit as real. Spiritual gifts include such things as service, discernment, encouragement, compassion, leadership, healing and teaching just to name a few. These are the gifts that we can use to positively impact the lives of those around us.
If you don’t know where to start in the process of discovering what special gifts God has given you, I would encourage you to get a pad and paper and follow these steps:
1) Make a list of what you love to do. What are the things in life that you enjoy more than anything in the world; those things that give you unequaled joy? There are overt and also very subtle hints in the activities and tasks you love to do.
2) What are you good at? What do you do well? If you can't see them in yourself ask your spouse, your parents, your siblings or your friends what they think you are good at in life.
If you look within, you will find the bountiful gifts that God has bestowed on you to have a richer and fuller life yourself, as well as, to make the lives of those around you richer and fuller. God shopped and found exactly the right gifts for each of us. Along with these gifts God gave us a purpose for which the gifts can be used to their fullest. Through our hearts He lets us know that purpose if we would but listen. He calls us to become a star that will shine bright in the universe. But we will only shine with the fullness of light He intended, if we discover and unwrap the gifts we’ve been given and share them with the world.
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