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You might be surprised how many adults are still looking for
their God-given talent. For so many of us, the problem isn't that we don’t
have one; it’s that we are trying too hard to find it. People think that a
God-given talent must be some huge and complicated thing that we have to search
for, but it’s really much simpler than that.
Like all things in our walk with God, start your “talent
search” with prayer. Ask God to help you see yourself through His eyes. Most of
the time we don’t see our God-given talent because we think that there is
nothing extraordinary about us. Ask God to help you see with His eyes because
whenever God looks at you, all He sees are extraordinary things because that is
what He put in you.
The other part of realizing your God-given talent is paying
attention to what is already inside you. For example, when I was growing up my
favorite games to play with my sisters were make believe games; we would
pretend that we were in college or church. My favorite part of these games was
pretending that we were in church because I got to teach the Bible to my
younger sisters. Even though it was make believe, I look back now and realize
that the game let me start using one of my God-given talents – teaching!
It’s also important to remember that your God-given talent
may be something that you don’t even consider a talent, but that isn't something just anyone else would be good at. My husband David is amazing at
making things happen–that’s one of his God-given talents. If someone comes to
David with an idea for something that needs building or fixing, he can make it
happen. He has a difficult time thinking of that as a talent, but let me tell
you, I can’t do what he does!
The most important thing about finding your God-given talent
is to be open. Your talent may not be music, performing, or athletics, but that doesn't mean that you don’t have a talent or that your talent is less important
than someone else’s. We have to be open to talents that put us in the
background more than in the spotlight. Think about what you really enjoy doing:
singing, teaching, building things, organizing, listening to and helping
other people, cleaning. Some of these may not sound like talents, but they are.
If you enjoy it, are good at it, and can use it to bless God’s people, then
it’s a God-given talent.
I promise you, you have at least one God-given
talent. I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.
What do you think your God-given talent might be?
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many… If the
whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body
were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? – 1 Corinthians 12:14 & 17
Jenn Arman
