Last Sunday we went to our daughter’s for Mother’s Day for our grandson’s baby dedication. Their pastor spent the sermon talking about the unique bond that a mother and child have, the important role a mother’s role and, the influence that she has on her child. At the end of his sermon he introduced the seven babies that were being dedicated and their parents. When the dedication was complete, he asked the church to come to the front and love on the parents and encourage them. As I went up to love on and pray for our son-inlaw, daughter and grandson, there was a very strong presence of God. I felt led to pray that our grandson would grow and be a mighty man of God and that he would use all his gifts to walk in all the destiny God designed for Him. (Jeremiah 29:11 tells us “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”) The power of the Holy Spirit was so sweet and strong. I began to think about how the Jews believe that God shows up and bestows gifts on each child Himself at conception. Perhaps this is what science is seeing at conception. Science has pictures of the exact moment of conception, when the sperm comes in contact with the egg, there is a flash of light that is seen with each conception. Could this be when God bestows His gifts on each child then. His call and plan for each child along with the gifts and talents they will need to fulfill their calling. Psalm 139:14-16 “I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works. And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth, Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book, they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” David understood that God knew him and had a plan for his life while he was being formed in his mother’s womb. In fact, God told Jeremiah in Jerimiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you, I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” While we each have our own calling, God is no respecter of persons, He has a plan for our lives and a call or destiny for each of us to fulfill. Along with the call comes the gifts, talents and abilities to fulfill God’s plan for our lives. Those gifts and calling will bring us before great men and make room for us. Sadly, too many people do not feel like they belong or have a place. I believe it is because they are not aware of the gifts inside of them or they do not know how to use them. So, they sit on the sidelines and resent the people who understand who they are and are doing what they are called to do. Sometimes it is easier to see the calling on someone else’s’ life and feel jealous of their gifts that looking for their own gifts and learn to develop them.
Some gifts are very obvious and parents will start at a very young age developing those gifts. Other gifts we have to watch closely for to see what gifts God has bestowed on a person. No matter whether your gits are obvious or hidden, it will take time to develop those gifts. Ask any great musician and they will tell you that even though they have a musical talent, they still had to take lessons and practice their instruments daily to build their talent.
Some gifts are very sought after while other giftings are subtle and people do not understand the importance of their gift they have been given. Take for example take an orchestra. It is easy to see who is in charge, the conductor and the best musicians are awarded the first chair position. No one really thinks about those who are gifted in finance who make the money for the band possible or the brilliant marketing that promotes the concerts and intrigues people to come. Paul told the church at Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its parts make up one body and is the same with Christ.” As the body of Christ, we must understand that each person has something great to offer an they are invaluable to the body of Christ and that includes yourself. In fact, the Bible says “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” The message translation says it this way, “God’s gifts and God’s call are under full warranty-never cancelled, never rescinded.” God does not withdraw His gifts and callings.
Since God will not take back His gifts and callings, we should understand Satan does not have the ability to take what God has given us. Even though he tries to kill, steal, and destroy the gifts and purpose God has placed inside of you, he cannot stop them. Even though he cannot curse what God has blessed he will try to get us to curse, ignore and neglect the gifts that are inside of us. Sadly, in some seasons, we will find ourselves in a place and around people who do not understand the gifting and callings on us and they will not value who God has made us to be. (I am sure I have been guilty of not seeing the gifts on someone else’s life and not honored and valued what they have to bring to the table.)
Sometimes God has made us to be the answer for someone’s prayer and when we try to help, they do not like the form the answer shows up in and they reject us because we do not look like what they person thought they would get when they prayed. It is very painful to be rejected or have your gift rejected and to be told you are not enough or that you are not wanted. When that happens, it is human nature to try and protect ourselves, and too often we shut the gift or calling down to protect our heart and quit sharing our gifts. When we deny the very gift that is supposed to make room for us, we begin to feel more and more isolated and if we are not careful, we destroy our own gift with bitterness and resentment. They say that the thorns on a rose bush are the roses that turn inside instead of turning to face the world and bloom to bring an amazing aroma and a beautiful flower. I hate to admit that I have walked though seasons where my gifts and callings have been unwanted and unappreciated and I allowed the rejection to tempt me into turning my gifts inward instead of blessing those around me. Have you also been rejected or misunderstood and shut your gifts down? Perhaps no one has helped you see the gifts God has given you or the value you bring to the table. I have been given gifts that I did not know what they were and did not understand how to use them and I asked the person who gave the gift to me to explain. God gave you the gifts and if you will ask Him, He will show you what the gifts you have and teach you how to use them. (If you have children, it is so important that we find what gifts each of our children have and help them to develop those gifts.)
Paul recognized in Timothy that he had allowed the hut and rejection of being in the ministry to shut down his gifts, in 2 Timothy 1 Paul told Timothy that he prayed for him day and night and he was mindful of his tears. Sounds like the church Timothy was called to pastor hurt young Timothy. Listen to the remedy Paul told Timothy found in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 “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 love and a sound mind.” When we are hurt or do not feel like we have a place, we need to stir up the gifts that God has given us. The very things that we put away because of hurt or rejection will be the thing that makes room for us. It is fear that causes us to shut our giftings down. Paul told Timothy God has not given you a spirit of fear. It can be a fear of being hurt, rejected or even misunderstood. The way we overcome the fear is to acknowledge that fear that causes torment does not come from God, and we have the power through Jesus Christ to take authority over all fear, remember that love never and that we have the mind of Christ. Being human and having a loving heart leaves us vulnerable to be hurt. WE cannot allow that vulnerability to keep us from walking an all that God has for us. We have been given the great commission of sharing Jesus with all the world and it can only be done when we love people. I bless you today as you stir up the gifts you have been given and pray Hebrews 13:20-21 over you, “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ , to whom be glory forever and ever amen.”
Cathy Nesmith