We used to have a young lady in church years ago as a teenager. She was very dedicated to the choir. She would make herself available every service while other choristers kept giving one excuse or the other for their absence. Before you know it, she overtook everyone as the lead worship leader in church. Her singing gifts developed with use as she realised that she’s not empty.
Friend, you are not empty. You need to develop and deploy your gifts and abilities (2 Timothy 1:6). When it comes to gifts and abilities, you must remember that you either use it or lose it. Unlike physical things, spiritual things get better with use. The more you use them, the better they get. This is why those who play truant in the kingdom never amount to anything serious in life and destiny (Philemon 1:6).
The parable of the talents is very instructive for us here. While the men with five and two talents used their gifts productively, the man with one talent came up with excuses (Matthew 25:24-30). What excuse is keeping you from maximizing God’s gift and grace on your life?
Are you too busy to be available for God? Do you consider your gift lesser or unimportant compared to others (2 Corinthians 10:12)? Do you consider yourself too big to serve, too tush or sophisticated to be used by God (Romans 12:3)? What exactly is keeping you from deploying your gifts and abilities for kingdom purposes? Would you use it or lose it?
Don’t bury your talents. It may be one. But that One Talent can make a huge difference in people’s lives and in the Kingdom at large. Your gift is what brings out your difference, uniqueness, and relevance in life. It is the key to your prosperity (Proverbs 17:8).
You are not empty. Learn to identify your gift. Learn to stir it up (2 Timothy 1:6). Learn to use your gift. Serve with it. Release it; don’t hoard it. Look for opportunities to make contributions in people’s lives through your gifts. Join a service unit in church; stop being a bench warmer. Be available at your place of work. Volunteer in your community. Derive joy in using your gift to bless humanity. You are not empty.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria