Tom Paterson (a seasoned life coach) said this:
“Show me a person who doesn’t know his talents or developed them for service to others, and I’ll show you a person with little sense of purpose, meaning, motivation and value.”
It’s true that when it comes to our lives, there is much God wants to change.
At the same time, there are some things God has infused in us that He wants to use just like we are.
He has given us natural abilities that are meant to be employed for His purposes.
I once read this quote: “God doesn’t waste abilities; He matches our calling with our capacities.”
In some instances, our natural abilities are obvious to us and others. But some of our abilities must be discovered. They are latent within us, waiting to escape! The only way to discover our “hidden” abilities is to go out and do something! How often, though, does the fear of failing keep us from daring to try and discover? (Especially when we get older.) And sometimes we need the help of others to see things we can’t see.
So, do you have an idea of were you naturally excel? Here are a few questions to get you thinking:
Do you motivate and inspire others?
Are you creative?
Are you good with numbers?
Do you like to work with your hands?
Are you athletic?
Do you have musical ability?
Do you think big?
Can you help people work together better?
Are you goal oriented or people oriented?
Are you mechanical or technological?
Do you have a flair for working with food?
Do people come to you for advice? Do you like giving it?
Do you like to solve problems?
Do you like statistics and graphs?
Do you like to write?
Do you like to be on stage? Or behind the scenes?
When it comes to our natural abilities, when we are functioning in line with how God made us, we often do so with a lot of ease along with a lot of joy. Often, our work doesn’t feel like work.
To close this post, I’d like us to consider the thoughts from two greats from history. It seems they felt that when it comes to learning more about mining our natural abilities, we can sometimes be fearful or lazy.
First off, 16th century sculptor, painter and architect Michelangelo said:
“The greater danger for most is not that our aim is to high and we miss it, but that it is too slow and we reach it.”
Adding to this reflection, Christian author and apologist C.S. Lewis wrote:
It should seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased.
So, what are your natural, God-given abilities? Are you employing them for His kingdom? If not, why not?