Now there are varieties of gifts, but
the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities,
but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of
the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
A few years ago, I had a life-changing and
Spirit-led realization that has had profound implications for my life and ministry:
there are no weaknesses, only gifts.
I was always taught I had strengths and weaknesses in life, and to become a better
student or athlete or person, I needed to work on my weaknesses. I would guess
I am not the only one who was taught this or who thinks this way. The problem with kind of thinking is that it
encourages us to dwell in negativity about ourselves. While it can be good to
try to improve and grow in certain areas, obsessing about where we fall short
in life can not only be emotionally destructive, but also does not allow us to
fully actualize the gifts that God has given us.
God has created all of us in God’s image
(Genesis 1:27) and created us all with unique talents, gifts, and abilities. We
are all different and we are all given gifts. It is our variety and uniqueness
that reflects the image of God. When we fail to recognize our God-given gifts
and identity, but instead focus on the ways in which we fall short, we distort
God’s creation. When we continually compare ourselves to others and then go
through an endless cycle of self-critique and self-loathing, we hamper our
ability to live a faithful life, and more importantly we hinder God’s work in
the world.
The truth is that we all have been given
gifts by God, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, these gifts can be used
for God’s work in the world. We all have gifts, but none of us, on our own have
all the gifts needed to do God’s work. We need everyone, with all the gifts
they bring, to do God’s work. The Apostle Paul uses the image of the church as
the Body of Christ. The body has many members and while each part of the body
has an important use, it can’t be a complete body on its own. (1 Corinthians
12:12-26) We need all parts of the body, working together in their own unique
way, to fully live out who God has called us to be. So let us discover who God
has created us to be and the gifts God has called us to use. Let us celebrate
the gifts of others without envy or competition, but use all of our gifts for
the common good.
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