Decades before I believed in God, and an equally long time before I understood God gives gifts to His children to be used for His Kingdom purpose and glory, I had clearly been given a gift of writing. While other children ran to video games, and swimming pools, skateboards and all manner of play and delight, I found no greater joy than in writing and reading, writing and reading, writing and reading. I could not help myself; I was driven. I wrote so much, so often, I begged my mother in the grocery store for scraps of paper from her pocketbook because I couldn’t hold back the words. Much the same way that I have found myself countless times driving down the highway as an adult scurrying for scraps of paper in my car to set upon my steering wheel as I carefully try to scribble out the words flowing from me. Yes, I was the child that ran into the house to find poetry I had written to sell at my lemonade stand when I ran out of drinks.
God had gifted me, but for decades I used the gift for myself, for the world, and for the devil. Finally, in recent years, I sat with a mentor of mine one day at my kitchen table and repented to the Lord for all the years I had written and done other work for the wrong purpose. I dedicated my writing and work life to the Lord, and the change has been astonishing. I now live, and breathe, and write, and work as best I am able for the glory of the Lord. I knew what I was talking about when I told my friend he might be using the gift God has given him, but that he wasn’t necessarily using it for the right use. We need to place our hearts, and lives, and dreams, and gifts in the hands of the world and live our lives for Him, live the dreams He gives us rather than pursue our own selfish dreams, and use His gifts for His glory.
Do you know what gifts God has given you? Are you using them for His glory? If you’re a musician, are you singing for the Lord, or singing for the devil? If you’re an accountant, are you doing people’s taxes to get rich and live in luxury, or are you doing taxes to love the Lord and serve others to help them live godly lives? If you’re retired, are you using your free time for yourself or to bring praise to the Lord? If you are gifted in speaking, are you speaking to others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If you are gifted in film-making, are you making films that are full of filth or making godly movies that God can use to draw people to Himself? If you find that you are not using your gifts for Him, repent as I did and commit yourself to the ways of the Lord for the glory of the Lord!
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31