Hello friends,

This weekend was a hard one for me.  I struggled with the fact that I pour love and encouragement into others, but I sometimes feel I need encouragement and it's not always there.  Most of the time I have no problem with this, but occasionally the devil will whisper and ask me who encourages me?  Who texts me when I miss church, or when I am sick?  There is a reason he's called the dEVIL.  He's evil, he likes to mess with our minds, to make us feel unsuccessful, unloved, and without hope.  Luckily for me, I have the best sister ever.  Marie encourages me, she helps me remember that I am special.  I don't mean that to sound conceited, even though it may come across that way.  She just helps me to see that I have a real gift from God.  While I get discouraged at times, I have learned to embrace this gift.  I love to encourage people.  I like to let them know people care.  I love to let them know someone notices when they are not there.  While I get frustrated when it feels like no one "sees" me, I would not want to give up my gift.  I resist the devil and his lies.  I am loved, I am "successful" (in a more heavenly sense), and I have HOPE.  Jesus is my HOPE, and I know He has already won the VICTORY.

 

Do you know YOUR spiritual gift?  Study the Bible and see if you can determine your spiritual gift.  Marie has the gift of mercy.  She works with people and helps them as they recover from physical or mental ailments.  The Bible says in Romans 12:5 "so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."  God made us different so that we as a church can function and serve a greater purpose.  He created people like my sister, to show compassion to those who need compassion.  He created people like me, to encourage those like my sister, those with other spiritual gifts, and also those who have yet to come to know Jesus.   He created people with all kinds of different Spiritual gifts, so that we can support and uplift each other, and work together as one.  Ephesians 4:15-16 says "But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head- Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for the building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part."  We need to embrace our gifts, so we can work together to build His Kingdom.   

 

I used to think a Spiritual Gift took a lot of work, but I finally realize it is just the opposite.  Encouraging others is literally in my personality.  Marie has ALWAYS been compassionate.  I remember as youth going to the nursing home to assist in leading a church service.  Afterwards, Marie could talk for quite a while to the residents. She listened to them talk about their life, their history, and their different ailments.  She showed them compassion and while I felt sorry for them, I really did, talking to them about it did not come naturally to me.  Marie on the other hand, was a natural at it, so natural that she makes now a living out of it.  

 

So if you know your spiritual gift, EMBRACE IT!  Don't try to hide it, and don't try to make it harder than it needs to be.  It is a gift, use it, and share it.  Not only will you bless others, you will also feel blessed.

 

I am a follower of Christ, I am not perfect, but I love Jesus.

Until Next Time,

 

Liz Allen