What Do We Mean By ‘Gifts from God’?
As stated previously, this season of ECC is going to focus on the idea of gifts from God. However, there is one little piece of clarification that needs to be made before continuing: we are not referring to spiritual gifts. The New Testament is filled with verses on spiritual gifts, such as kindness, patience, prophecy, mercy, etc., which are not what we are going to be discussing during this blog series.
“Gifts” in this series refers to more practical and artistic talents and skills which God has either provided you with inherently (from your mother’s womb, so to speak!) or developed in you throughout your life — and, yes, “gifts” will include both natural talents and nurtured skills!
Well, the Bible just speaks about spiritual gifts, why do you think talents and abilities also come from God?
Three reasons!
The Bible expresses repeatedly that God created you from conception. He knew exactly what His purpose for your life was and what tools you needed to have to accomplish it (Psalm 139:13, Isaiah 64:8, Proverbs 16:4).
The Bible says that “[e]very good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17). Every good gift. Is your talent not a good gift? Is your purpose on this earth not a good gift? Is you skill and all the training you’ve gone through to hone your craft and create beautiful things not a good gift? It is! Even if you don’t feel that way sometimes, every good thing that you have received, whether it be talent or training, is from the Lord.
God has provided a record in the Bible of providing people with ability, intelligence, and knowledge (Exodus 31:3). Not only did Bezalel have the Holy Spirit to guide him, but he had the talent, ability, and intellect necessary to create the Tabernacle. God gave him those tools of creation, whether by a miracle or by training and practice.
A gift from God can be any number of things from the bread we eat to the way we express the Holy Spirit through the official spiritual gifts to our ability to create. God’s blessings and gifts towards us are not limited by anything, really, but come from God’s love for us, His purpose for our lives, and what needs to be done in His Kingdom.
Putting it into Action
If you have never considered your talents or skills as a gift from God, take some time to do so. Ponder the fact that He has — by inborn talent or nurtured skills — gifted you with a creative ability. Praise Him for this creative drive that He has given you, even if you feel unworthy or, perhaps, like it is more of a burden than a blessing! Seek to honor Him and worship Him through the acknowledgement that He makes no mistakes in creating or nurturing His children for the job He has for them.
“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.”
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
