God's Will and Your Giftedness: Purpose Driven Connection

I just love the daily emails I get from Purpose Driven Connection- this one really blessed me today. There is such peace in walking in your giftedness- it is truly the sweet spot. Hope you enjoy this today as I did!

Saturday, October 27, 2012     God's Will and Your Giftedness by Jon Walker "Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out." (Hebrews 10:24 MSG)  Long before he was a superstar, I was blessed to spend an hour or two with Bob the Tomato. Well, actually, it was Phil Vischer, the voice of Bob the Tomato and creator of the very charming VeggieTales. During our conversation, Vischer said, “There is no happier place than the intersection of God’s will and your giftedness.” Pastor Rick teaches that the way God S.H.A.P.E.s you reveals a significant portion of his will for you, and that brings you to the intersection of his will and your giftedness. S.H.A.P.E. is an acronym Pastor Rick explains in "The Purpose Driven Life": Spiritual Gifts: God gives you spiritual gifts to use in ministry (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 8, Ephesians 4). Heart: As Pastor Rick explains, the Bible teaches that your heart determines why you say the things you do, why you feel the way you do, and why you act the way you do (Proverbs 4:23). Abilities: These are natural talents God gives you so you can accomplish his purposes. In Exodus 31:3, God gives “skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts ...” (NLT). Personality: Your personality affects the way you use your gifts. For instance, two people may have the gift of evangelism, but if one is introverted and the other is extroverted, that gift will be expressed differently. Experiences: There are five common experiences that influence your service to others: educational, vocational, spiritual, ministry, and painful experiences. Ask other Christians who know you to help you determine the things you do best and how you may use your giftedness in ministry. Talk About It Pray through these questions: What am I good at that I can offer as a ministry to other people? What do I know that I can teach to others? What can I give to someone as a blessing? Jon Walker’s new book, "Breakfast with Bonhoeffer," is a message of hope for anyone longing for another chance at life as God created it to be. It is a story of God’s faithfulness, even through job loss, home loss, economic uncertainty, divorce and an incurable disease. Structured like a novel, it reveals how God works through our often messy and inconsistent faith. This devotional © Copyright 2012 Jon Walker. All rights reserved. Used by permission.