Gifts & Talents
What's the Difference and How Do We Use Them for Kingdom Building?
I recently had an epiphany while reading 100 Days of Believing Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels. Day 92 talks about how to distinguish our talents from our gifts, and this was very eye-opening for me. So I wanted to share…
She says, “Gifts… are the things God uniquely prewired us to do—God-touched abilities that reflect an aspect of Him and help others too. Our talents are things we learned to do; gifts are the things we were born to do. And gifts are the attributes that God has specifically anointed to enable us to unlock destiny, healing, belief, and growth in others.”
WOW!
My mind immediately started recalling the Spiritual Gifts Survey I had done months before. I scored high on mercy, faith, exhortation, teaching, evangelism, and shepherding.
I am inherently merciful. I have so much compassion coursing through my veins, it hurts. I am empathetic to a fault. I feel what others feel so strongly, and I often carry the weight as if it were mine to bear.
I have a firm trust in God, even when life is overwhelming and unbearable. Even when I don’t see a way, I believe with my whole heart that God is a way-maker!
I am naturally an encourager. I love listening to people, lifting them up, and I have full confidence in their abilities to succeed. If only I could borrow some of that belief for myself.
I love teaching. I have a heart for helping others understand scripture. I am learning so much, and I look forward to conversations where I help others draw wisdom and guidance from it.
I so desperately want to bring others to Christ. I want to win souls. Especially those friends, family, and loved ones who have made an impact on my life. I want to see them in heaven. I want to share our inheritance for all of eternity.
I am, to my very core, a nurturer and protector—someone who desires to guide and care for the next generation.
I am my heavenly Father’s daughter, and these are my God-given gifts.
I have many talents, as I’m sure we all do, but for the sake of this article, I want to focus on writing. A skill I have been developing since I was a child. One that I love and continue to find joy in.
What I love the most about writing is that no matter how much I write, I never feel empty. I never feel drained, only more energized as I pour out my heart onto these keys. I love sharing my deepest thoughts with other people. I love knowing I’m not alone and others relate to my ramblings. It only inspires me to write more. To give more. It’s a beautiful exchange. The perfect way to clear my mind and help others along the way.
Writing is the perfect talent to serve as a vessel for my gifts. Through writing, I can connect deeply in a way you don’t get from surface conversations. I get to share my faith and win souls to Christ. I get to teach about scripture and encourage others along the way. I get to use my testimony and hopefully protect them from making the same mistakes I have. I get to love people, care for them, and guide them back to Jesus.
I get to express all the best parts of me to the world. I get to shine a light in the darkness. The Lord uses my weaknesses and failures to relate to people. It’s the beauty of His perfect design. I’m honored to use this one skill to pour out every gift He’s given me. I’m grateful for my Father’s ability to reveal these things to me with clarity. I am grateful for His supernatural favor over my life, for His provision, and most of all His love.
I am my heavenly Father’s daughter, and writing is the talent I’ve developed to express the gifts He’s woven into my DNA.
So, I say all this to ask you what you’re God-given gifts are? Who are you down to your core? What is your nature? What talents have you developed that could showcase your gifts? How can you use it to connect deeply with others? How could you harness them and package them in a way that would honor your calling? How could you use them to build the Kingdom of heaven?
If you are interested in finding out your spiritual gifts, here’s the link!
I’d love for you to share if you feel comfortable!
I’d also love to know what you’re talents are and how you think you might be called to use them together!
Also, if you’d like to get your own copy of 100 Days of Believing Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels, here’s the link!
Thank You!
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