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Abilities: The set of talents God gave you when you were born, which he also wants you to use to make an impact for him.
This is a book that requires work - at times it can be rather daunting, presenting multiple questions at a time, which could each take half an hour to really answer thoroughly. That very chapter of Scripture—Hebrews 11—lists many ordinary people who by faith accomplished extraordinary things for God, among them Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and Rahab. Over the years, I have had the privilege of personally seeing thousands of ordinary people live out their Kingdom Purpose through their confident assurance in God. Your Kingdom Purpose is way more than a career. It is a special commissioning from God to make a significant difference on this earth. It’s the banner of your life that you carry and wave for God’s glory. Now don’t get me wrong, your career could provide you the platform to direct your Kingdom Purpose, but it doesn’t define it. Filled with Scripture and real-life stories, S.H.A.P.E. presents a series of challenges that will guide you through the process of discovering your personal blend of It's all here: insights that can change the way you look at yourself and how you live your life and practical guidance for applying them. Discover how to apply your amazing array of personal attributes in ways that bring confidence, freedom, clarity, and significance that can only come from your Creator.
Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life
Uncovering Your S.H.A.P.E. Don’t wait to begin using your spiritual gifts until you understand all the details about how they will be expressed in your life. In Seizing Your Divine Moment, Erwin McManus says: “Don’t look for God to fill in all the blanks. Don’t wait for Him to remove all the uncertainty. Realize He may actually increase the uncertainty and leverage all the odds against you, just so you will know in the end that it wasn’t your gifts but His power through your gifts that fulfilled His purpose in your life.” The apostle Paul uses a great word picture to show the importance of strengthening what God has given us when he tells young Timothy to “fan into flame” his gift (2 Timothy 1:6). Imagine smoldering embers that burst into flame as you fan them. This is exactly what happens when you develop the gifts God has given you — they become more powerful and purposeful for God and eventually boost your Kingdom Purpose like nothing else. You have been gifted for greatness — in service, not status. Identifying your spiritual gifts is the crucial first step to finding the unique role God intends for you to fulfill. Now that you have begun to recognize your unique gifts, you need to hear from God about how he wants you to put them to work. In the next chapter, we’ll take a closer look at hearing God’s voice — by listening with your heart. Personality: The special way God wired you to navigate life and fulfill your unique Kingdom Purpose. During my freshman year of college, I took an art class—not because it was my major, but purely for the fun of it. (Well, to be honest, I took the class because of a cute girl who also had signed up for it!) One of our assignments was to study works on display at area art museums and galleries. So one day a classmate and I drove to an art show. Spiritual Gifts: A set of special abilities that God has given you to share his love and serve others.
Are eager to be known as ambassadors for Christ in the world. • Willingly work hard to see churches reach their full potential for God. h Yes h Maybe h No Discernment: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by recognizing truth or error within a message, person, or event. People with this gift . . . • Find it easy to “read” others, and are most often right. • Recognize the spiritual source of a message — whether it is from God, Satan, or man. • Recognize inconsistencies in others. • Easily identify people’s true motives and agendas. • Perceive when the truth is twisted or communicated with error. h Yes h Maybe h No Encouragement: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by helping others live God-centered lives through inspiration, encouragement, counseling, and empowerment. People with this gift . . . • Are driven to inspire others and impact their lives positively for Christ. • Rejoice with those whose reliance on Christ has helped them overcome difficult life situations. • Seek out opportunities to help others reach their full potential in Christ. • Are natural encouragers, whether in words or through actions. • Rejoice at others’ success. h Yes h Maybe h No Evangelism: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by sharing the love of Christ with others in a way that draws them to respond by accepting God’s free gift of eternal life. People with this gift . . . 39 I want you to know, you are not alone in those feelings. As a pastor, I have worked with so many people who share the same longing. I have discovered that people truly want to be who God made them to be—and genuinely desire to do the work he is calling them to do. Most simply don’t have the tools to get there.
Uncovering Your S.H.A.P.E. when she learned how valuable her gifts of leadership, pastoring, and encouragement were to others.
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