"Are you run-down, listless? Do you poop out at parties? Are you unpopular? Then you need Vitameatavegamin," says a sober Lucille Ball. After practicing this commercial numerous times, this wonder medicine has made her drunk, and the results are classic Lucy. "Are you run-down, listless? Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?" Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. Always trying to get on television. Always trying to be something she wasn't. Always trying to figure out what she wanted to be on television – be an ad girl, a ballet dancer, and many more.
Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? Have you ever looked for a place to belong? Have you ever wanted to find something that energized you? Have you ever searched for an outlet to give back? Have you ever wondered if anyone cares? This is why you should discover the gift that God has given you.
Why would anyone want to discover their spiritual gift? This gift that God gives us when He adopts us into His family that we have been carrying around day after day ever since we asked Him into our hearts – THAT GIFT.
The spiritual gifts are laid out in four locations in the Bible – Ephesians 4, I Corinthians 12, and Romans 12. Discovery of your gift is part of the process. It is part of maturing. It is developing your relationship with your Creator. Study the gifts. Ask God to reveal to you which one He has given to you. There are plenty of evaluations or questionnaires you can fill out to get a better picture of which ones may be your gifts. Then once you discover your gift, you need to exercise it.
What happens to a muscle that is not exercised? It atrophies. It decreases in size. It becomes weak, useless. Employ your gift. Find someone who has the same or similar gift as yourself who has matured and developed their gift and talk to them about it. There will be bumps along the way as you begin exercising your new gift. This reminds me of when my children first started learning how to walk. Erin was in no great rush to walk, but Pearce had places to go. They fell. The toddled, but eventually, they got the hang of it. Then we put shoes on them. Another challenge. They looked like we had put cats on a sock! They looked so funny walking with their knees all whopper-jawed, but they got it. It didn't take long for them to start running either. When we exercise our gifts, we grow.
Then, ladies, a really neat thing happens. You start feeling the Lord's prompting. You feel Him leading you to do things you wouldn't normally have done, but it's amazing because you know He is ministering to others through you. He chooses YOU! He chooses you to work through to minister to others. Is that not awesome? Is that not humbling? That feeling and knowing that He chooses to use you will energize you. It gives you your purpose. You'll find your place of service, and you'll know that your Creator cares more for you than you can ever imagine.
Discovery, Exercise, Employ, Follow – These are a recipe for a dynamic, awesome relationship with Jesus Christ. I encourage you to find you gift. Not just for yourself, but for those who He wants to minister to through you. You've been missing out carrying your unopened present around day after day. Get the lead out! Start discovering.