Devotion - Using Our Gifts to Serve
1 Peter 4:10 (HCSB)
"Based on the gift each one has received, use it to
serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God."
1. Everyone Has a Gift from God
God has given each of us unique gifts, and they come in
various forms—not just talents or physical abilities, but also mental strength,
wisdom, leadership, and life experiences. No one is without a gift, and every
gift has a purpose in God’s kingdom.
2. Discovering Our Gifts Requires Intentionality
2a. Tim Keller’s framework for discernment—affinity,
ability, and opportunity—provides practical guidance:
- Affinity:
What stirs your passion? Do you feel drawn to comforting the broken,
organizing events, or advocating for justice?
- Ability:
What do others affirm you’re skilled at? Sometimes our gifts are obvious
to others before we recognize them ourselves.
- Opportunity:
Where is there a need? Keller urges believers to start serving where
the church or community lacks, even if it’s outside your comfort zone.
2b. Discovery Is a Process of Experimentation and Service
Gifts often reveal themselves as we serve. Like a
muscle, they grow stronger through use. Start with small acts of obedience:
- Try:
Volunteer in an area that aligns with your interests or a community need.
- Reflect:
Did the task energize you? Did others affirm your contribution?
- Adjust:
Refine your focus based on feedback and fruitfulness.
Example: A person unsure of their gifts might serve
meals at a homeless shelter. Over time, they notice they excel at connecting
with people in crisis—a sign of the gift of mercy or encouragement. This
discovery then fuels deeper, more targeted service.
Scripture: "For it is God who works in you,
both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
God shapes our gifts through service, not just before it.
3. We Are Accountable for How We Use Our Gifts
Gifts are not meant for self-glory but for serving others
and building up the body of Christ. We must ask ourselves:
- Are
we using our gifts selfishly or for God’s purposes?
- How
does our gift fit into the needs of our church and community?
- Are
we stewarding our gifts well, recognizing that God will hold us
accountable?
Keller's principle of "serving where the need is"
reminds us that our gifts are best used in the context of love and service, not
personal ambition.
4. God's Grace Empowers Us in Many Ways
The gifts we receive are manifestations of God’s grace.
Keller distinguishes between:
- Spiritual
Gifts – Abilities given by God for service (teaching, encouragement,
leadership, mercy, etc.).
- Spiritual
Graces – Character traits that shape how we use our gifts (love, joy,
peace, patience, etc.).
While gifts enable us to serve, it is the graces—our
Christlike character—that determine our true effectiveness in ministry. A
person may be a gifted speaker, but without love and humility, their message
lacks power.
Application Questions
- Process:
What step of faith could you take this month to experiment with a
potential gift?
- Feedback:
Who in your community can honestly speak into your strengths and
weaknesses?
- Service:
Where is there a need in your church or community that you can step into
today?
- Stewardship:
Are you using your gifts for God’s glory and the good of others, or for
self-promotion?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts You have given me.
Help me to discover and use them in a way that brings glory to You and blesses
others. Teach me to serve where I am needed and to grow in both spiritual gifts
and Christlike character. Keep me from pride and selfish ambition, and let my
service be a reflection of Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Key Takeaway
Don’t wait for perfect clarity—start serving. God often
reveals our gifts as we act, not before we act.
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p.s. This devotion is the integration by ChatGPT and DeepSeek with my prompt:
Improve and complete the devotion:
Devotion - Using our Gift to Serve
1 Pet 4:10 [HCSB]
Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.
#1 Everyone has some gift from God. The gift comes in various form not just talents, physiques, but also mental strength etc.
#2 We need to discover our gift.
2a. How? Tim Keller, in his teachings on spiritual gifts, emphasized discerning them through a combination of affinity (what you're drawn to), ability (what you're good at), and opportunity (where the need is), urging individuals to serve where they are needed first, before specializing.
2b. Discovery of our Gift is a process of some discovery and using it to serve
#3 We are accountable to how we use our gift. Make sure we use it to serve and not to seek self-glory. See how our gift fit in the community of church and the social needs. Keller's advice on 'where the need is' is a good reminder.
#4 God's grace is God empowerment and it has many facets.
Keller makes a distinction between spiritual gifts (abilities to serve) and spiritual graces (character traits like love, joy, peace), highlighting that while gifts are important, graces are more important for ministry effectiveness.
Application Questions:
Prayer:
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