The Unclaimed Gift: The Time Is Now

Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

There are those Sundays when you get up like every other morning, stumbling out to make coffee, pouring yourself a bowl of cereal, mentally going over the events laid out in the hours ahead of you. You stand in your closet trying to decide if you wore that outfit last Sunday. Flats or sandals or maybe even heels? A sundress or maybe those cute capris with the green tank top? It's a million degrees outside but it is always cold in the chapel. So make sure you grab a wrap on your way out the door.

You get to church, thankful you left a little early so you can park close to the door. A long walk in this Texas heat and humidity will not be kind to your makeup or your hair. A last minute check in the rear view mirror to make sure that nothing remains in your smile from breakfast and you head for the front door. A handshake here. A pat on the back there. Short brief moments of conversation before you settle in to your seat with a long sigh of relief, grateful to be back in community with other believers.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the words from your pastor suddenly seem like they are directed right at you. You recall with great clarity every moment from the past few days, weeks, months when the Holy Spirit whispered to your heart. The nudges to your soul begin to make sense. The scriptures that you ran your fingers across as you spent time with Him each morning swirl through your mind. 1 Peter 4:10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another"

This morning my pastor made a powerful statement that resonated within me. Who am I waiting on? There is no one on earth who will be able to give me my gift. No one on earth who can tell me what my gift is. Going to church every Sunday or Bible study every Tuesday night or conferences twice a year will not show me what my gift is. Only God knows what my gift is. Only He can reveal it to me. Only He can show me where He wants me to use my gift. And I have to meet with Him regularly so we can talk about it.

And yet....I know what my gift is. So the question is not "who" am I waiting on. It is "what" am I waiting on? An invitation? A note in the mail? A text from Heaven telling me where to show up for my assignment? Even in the ridiculousness of those statements I see some truth in them. I have been waiting. Waiting for what I don't know but waiting just the same. And in that waiting I have shown a complete lack of respect for my Father God who created that gift just for me. How many moments have I missed the opportunity to use that gift because I was waiting on just the right set of circumstances or perhaps I was looking for permission from the world?

Dearest Father God, Thank You. Thank You for grace. Thank You for pastors who say the hard things that we need to hear. Thank You for constantly pointing out our gifts, giving us another chance to use them for Your good. Thank Your for Your Holy Spirit who dwells within us, leading us back to You, filling our minds with Your words and Your desires. Show us our gifts Lord. Show us how to use them for the work that You have set forth for us to do. Show us how to serve each other with our gifts. Forgive us for our doubts, our delays, our missed moments. Cover us in Your Grace as we step out in faith, not waiting for permission from the world but knowing that we are doing all things for You. In the Name of Christ Jesus, Amen