In a culture where more than half of all teenagers seek celebrity and fame above any other life goal, we can see how desperately people crave significance and purpose in their lives. But it’s not just youth. As adults, we also attempt to satisfy that craving with worldly things such as money, addictions and relationships. Our human nature yearns for praise from others, for a sense of belonging and identity.
The good news is God has given each of us a unique gift, or set of gifts, with which to find significance and purpose (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we not only find our identity as a child of God, but we can unleash our special gifts to build up God’s Church (Ephesians 4:12).
Because God wants us to use our gifts to reach people who don’t know Him, He will help each of us discover what those gifts are. We will find that God unleashes our gifts to their fullest potential when we use them in His service and out of passion rather than obligation (1 Peter 4:10-11).
We might attempt to pursue our interests and our passions, but without God, our works will likely be uninspired and uninspiring. Our significance is found in playing even a small role in God’s big plan, not a big role in our small plans.
Reflect:
- What can you do to discover your spiritual gift(s)? Do you need to explore different areas of service?
- If you already know what your spiritual gifts are, how can you unleash them to better serve God? Are you exercising your gifts through regular service?
Additional Resources
The Blueprint for Life eight week study will help you discover the life you were born to live. The study contains a practical guidebook and ten audio messages featuring Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Tony Evans, John Maxwell and others. Click here to check it out!
