(Previously Published on Mrs Words Blog)

To be gifted means “having exceptional talent or natural ability; to be endowed with something; talented; skilful; skilled; accomplished; expert; consummate; masterful; first-rate; polished; adroit; dexterous; able; competent; capable; apt; deft; adept; proficient.”

I have written a post about being gifted before (see here). I truly believe that every single person has been gifted. The Bible says that we all have different gifts, according to the grace that has been given to us (see Romans 12:6). That means that each one of us are gifted and we are gifted differently to others. Your gift is unique to you and no one else in the entire world can live out your gift like you.

Ephesians 4:11-13 (The Message) puts it this way:

“He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the Church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”

Now, I’m gonna take this one further. I’m not just saying that you are gifted – because, to me, there is no doubt that you are! – I’m saying that the world needs you to find your gift and use your gift and do an AWESOME, unique, wonderful job of it!

So, how do you find out what your gift/s are? Great question, and not necessarily an easy one to answer. It literally took me a journey of about 3 years to work out what mine are. I spend numerous chapters writing about it in my book (that I am working on at the moment) about my journey through depression – and then, it took me quite a few years after I discovered my gifts to actually start using them properly.

Firstly, I started simply by figuring out what I enjoy doing; what gives me joy and pleasure; what am I passionate about; what can I physically do well; what do I want to do; what makes my heart sing and my mind peaceful and my soul rest. For me, it was WORDS. In every form:- I love reading, writing, journalling, poems, songs, sayings and books. I love listening to people speaking, I love stories being told, I love reading number-plates and shop signs and road signs and advertising. I love listening to lyrics and music entwined. I love movies and scripts and plays and theatre productions. I love the Bible and commentaries and dictionaries and encyclopaedias, newspapers and even good old telephone books. I love blogs and emails and photo’s of words and creative writing and lettering and design. I love calligraphy, painted word, printed word, text of all types. I love WORDS!

Then, I did some self-study on my personality and my love language. I needed to do this to work out who I really was, on the inside, as God had created me, not as the world had remade me and defined me. This was definitely a big one for me, figuring out my love language was ‘Words of Affirmation’ made a huge difference in my recovery journey. It can help you understand more about how to use and develop that thing/s that you love.

With my love of words being identified, I was able to figure out how I could use my love of words in a practical way that I am already naturally skilled in. Like, I discovered that I am more of an introvert than an extrovert, so the likelihood of me shouting words out to you from a street corner or in the middle of a crowded room, was extremely low. I realised that I felt a thousands times more comfortable using words to quietly encourage the one or two, by text message or small personal note.

Which brings me to the last point in discovering the gift that is within you – once you have discovered what you enjoy and who you are, you figure out how you can use it to bless others. As I mentioned earlier, I determined to use my words to bring encouragement to others, to uplift not pull down, to bring life, hope, peace, freedom and love. I worked out that not everyone needed to hear or know my words and that I wasn’t to be known because of them, instead, I was to use my words to bring glory to the God who created me and to do it in a way that was uniquely (and quietly) mine.

I recently came across a great song that really got me thinking. It’s called “THE GIFT” by Donald Lawrence. It says “the gift, it looks good on you, and you wear it well. God has graced you and you wear it well.” You see, once you have identified the gift/s that are within you, you are expected, admonished and encouraged to use them well. Romans 12:6-8 goes on to list some of the gifts and then makes particular emphasis on engaging in those gifts well, in abundance, generously, diligently and even cheerfully. We have been given gifts to encourage one another and to bring glory to God. It’s as simple as that. Now, we must do it well.

Lovely one, you are gifted! So, what are you going to do with that gift? Who are you going to bless with that gift? How is it going to look on you? Are you going to wear it well? Are you going to use it to bring glory to God? I pray you do! I pray that your gift radiates Jesus in you! Beautiful one, you are… GIFTED!