“Many people die with their music still in them. Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it time runs out.”—Oliver Wendall Holmes

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Every human being is gifted. No one arrived on this earth empty. From the above scriptures we see that all gifts come from God. In His sovereign plan, He decide which gift He will give everyone. A gift is not something you request for or pray for. That’s why it’s called a “gift.”

Another thing about our gifts is that everyone’s gift is very unique to them and that is the reason that we need one another. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” I stand to benefit from your gift and you stand to benefit from my gift. There is no competition or jealousy when we understand this.

God in His infinite plan, put you right where you are because that is where your gift is needed. There are no mistakes with God. You are not where you are by mistake. You are there by the divine plan of God. Don’t desire to be elsewhere. When your gift will be needed elsewhere, you can be sure God will make the relocation arrangements and bear the cost of relocation!!

Knowing that you have a gift is only the beginning to you being heard and seen. Remember God calls us the light and the salt of the world.

Matthew 5:14-16

You are the world’s light—a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.

Discovering your gift is one of the biggest undertaking you will have to do in your life. You must uncover the gift in the same way that you would unwrap a gift when someone gives you one. It’s an exciting experience to tear open the wrapping paper of a gift so that you can get to the gift. You don’t receive a wrapped gift and store it away in the store.

FAN INTO A FLAME YOUR GIFT

It takes a lot of courage for you to stand up and exercise your gift. There are many reasons that can make one afraid to stand up ranging from fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of rebuke or even discouragement from those as Les Brown likes to put it, “who should be in your encouragement club and who stand to benefit from your gift.” There will be many voices fighting to drown your voice and so you must be courageous enough and raise above the opposing noises.

You must remember that you are the only one who can give voice to your gift

You have to speak about it. You have to put it out to the world for people to see it. People will not know what you are good with unless you tell them.

Many times, people have sat back and waited for their gifts to suddenly spring forth but that may never happen. You have to put your gift to work. The more and more you put your gift into use the better you get at it. In the beginning, you will not be very good but with time, you will get better and better. Ben Efe in “The David in You…Making your gifts and potential work for you”, says that practice will not only help you to sharpen your gift. It builds your faith and your belief in your gift/potential. It keeps you focused on track and it eventually perfects you.” You will begin to see God move in your life and in the lives of those you influence.

David did not just wake up one morning and kill Goliath. He had faced the bear and the lion and killed them. When faced with Goliath, he could look back and see what God had helped him to accomplish and he was sure that he could kill Goliath. He had been practicing in the fields for this BIG day. But he did not know this. Joseph did not wake up one morning and interpret Pharaoh’s dream. He had been practicing. Begin now. Begin to exercise the gift that God has given you.

Don’t wait for the right opportunity, or the right time, or the right conditions. They will never happen. Don’t say when I finish school, when I get married, when I get a job, when I get children, when I get a degree, when I get enough money; Just act. The conditions will never be right to act.

As you continue to fan your gift, remember there is always room for improvement. Improve your gift. Get more knowledge about your area of gifting, attend seminars, workshops, go back to school, get a mentor, someone good in your area of gifting that can help you.

Be and be heard.

Psalm 138:8

“The Lord will [a]perfect that which concerns me;..”

Prayer

O Lord, perfect the gifts you have planted in me. Give the grace and the wisdom to use them for your glory in Jesus name.

The key to becoming ultimately fulfilled and successful is not just the use of your gift but it is in having a personal relationship with the giver of the gifts; Jesus Christ.

If you would want to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, click here.