Interests & Abilities

A - "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."

S - May the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Hebrews 13:20-21

A - Are you beginning to see the hand of God in how you are wired? Are you recognizing just how special of a creation you are to God and others? Today we will look at two more areas of your unique design - your interests and your abilities.

What interests you may not be the same for another person. What your best friend gets excited about, you have a hard time understanding and vice-versa. We all have different interests so that we will pursue them along our path to God's purposes. If you want more information, take an Interest Inventory.

Abilities (and you all have them!) come from investing time and energy in your interests. Romans 12:6a says - "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well." (NLT) Did you catch that? That verse doesn't say He's given certain people abilities. No, He's given each of us special abilities to complete His purposes.

Think a minute about the things you enjoy doing ~ singing, writing, playing a musical instrument, teaching, computer skills, photography, painting, drawing, sewing, cooking, selling, leading, listening, organizing, cleaning, gardening, entertaining, decorating, mentoring, sports.....the list of abilities is endless; just like God's imagination!

Don't ignore your abilites. It is our responsibility to know what we are good at and do it. "What you are able to do, God wants you to do. The abilities you have are a strong indication of what God wants you to do with your life. They are clues to knowing God's will for you. God doesn't waste abilities; He matches our calling and our capabilites." ~ Rick Warren

P - Begin believing that God doesn't waste anything - your experiences, your cares, your interests and/or your abilities. Ask God to help you put your abilities into action for His service and glory. Remember, He's not looking so much for your ability as much as He is your availability!

Next Time....Life gifts (talents)

Cares/Passions

A - "God knows that we are driven by our passions, because He created us to be eager to do what we enjoy. The desires of our heart are quite simply God's way of giving us a compass for the paths He wants us to take." ~ Rhonda Rich

S - He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others... 2 Corinthians 1:4

A - When we looked at Experiences, I said that it's through our most painful ones that God is preparing us to minister to others. The Scripture for today explains why God allows us to experience pain and sorrow; disappointment and despair, but also hope and victory!

Do you have a group of people you are passionate about helping/serving/ministering to? Maybe it's abused/neglected children, depressed women, troubled teens, young mothers learning how to adjust, children with learning disabilities, those fighting terminal illness, people grieving the loss of a loved one or women battling with addictions. The list of people needing comfort, support and hope, is endless. It's God's plan for you to reach out and care for these people. Share your life experiences and the comfort you received from God, in order to give them hope and victory!

In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says ~ "God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory. By identifying and understanding these factors you can discover God's will for your life."

So far in our discovery of how and why God made you SPECIAL, we've looked at Spiritual gifts, your unique Personality, your life Experiences and your Cares/Passions. Don't ignore these factors. Identify them. Learn more about them. Use them for others and ultimately, God's glory.

P - Has God put a special group or person on your heart? Someone who needs you to show that you care; that you understand what they are going through? Someone who needs the same comfort and strength God gave you? Don't ignore the Holy Spirit's prompting. Ask Him how you can reach out to them in love today!

Next Time.......Interests

Experiences

A - Your experiences can make you bitter or better....the difference is "i".

S - ..."You intended it for evil, but God intended it for good." ~ Genesis 50:20

A - In our scripture, Joseph is explaining that all the unpleasant things he experienced at the hands of his brothers, God eventually used for His good and glory. Can we say the same about our experiences? Can we look at the pleasant and unpleasant times in our lives and say that God was glorifed?

Have you ever asked the question why? Of course - we all have! It's what we do after we've asked why that determines God's next step. If we ask why me God and refuse to learn from our experience, God will find another way to teach us what He wants us to learn! Is He having you experience certain things to create love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and/or self-control in you? God uses experiences to mold and weave character into us, so we will be ready and equipped to love and serve others.

We have all heard Romans 8:28 quoted by well-meaning Christians during times of unfortunate situations. But do we ever wonder why God is "working all things together for good"? Wouldn't it be easier to trust God and be a good Christian if life wasn't so difficult sometimes? God intentionally plans and allows our experiences for several reasons:

1) to teach us to rely on/trust in Him and not ourselves. 2 Corinthians 1:9
2) to build our character ~ as in the life of Joseph.
3) to accomplish His purposes.

If you want to really examine experiences from your past and how they are significant to the person God is molding you into, check out my website - www.pathfinderministries.org & go to SPECIAL. There you may print off questions to ponder...it is well worth the time and effort :)

P - Thank God for ALL the experiences in your life. Acknowledge the importance of learning from them (the first time!) in order to teach you to rely on God and not yourself, to build and strengthen your character and to accomplish His purposes in your life.

Next time.....Cares/Passions

Personality

A - "Like stained glass, our different personalities reflect God's light in many colors and patterns." - Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

S - God works through different people in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purpose through them all. - I Corinthians 12:6

A - Do you ever wonder why some people drive you crazy and others don't? Wouldn't your life be so much more enjoyable if everyone were like you? Unfortunately, God didn't create everyone like you - He created everyone like Himself! (Genesis 1:26) We need to realize that we were made for His pleasure and purpose and not our own. He created all of us to relate differently, feel differently, react differently and respond to life differently!

Our personality is God's way of creating us unique in order to do the things He has planned for us to do on this earth. How often do you get to do what God wants all by yourself? Not too often I'm afraid...there are always other people involved. Understanding our personality and what makes other people tick is important to getting along and getting a job done.

There are four basic personality types and most people are a combination of two, sometimes three. To learn more about your personality, go to my website, www.pathfinderministries.org and click on SPECIAL. You'll find a personality profile you can complete and additional resources you may want to check out.

P - Thank God for making you unique and designed for a special purpose. Ask Him to help you overcome your weaknesses and use your strengths for His glory.

Next time.....Experiences

Understanding Your Purpose

Over the past few weeks, we've looked at how, what, where, when and why you Pursue a Purpose for your life. Now we're going to delve into Understanding Your Purpose. You will soon discover just how SPECIAL God made you and for good reasons.

Unwrapping Your Spiritual Gifts....

A - A spiritual gift is an expression of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer which empowers them to serve the body of Christ.

S - "Each one should use whatever gift he/she has received to serve others..." I Peter 4:10

A - Remember at the end of the first chapter, we recognized that true significance and purpose comes from serving others? All believers have been given spiritual gifts at the time of salvation. It is our job to discover them, unwrap them and put them into action for the benefit of others!

Romans 12: 4-8 lists the "serving" gifts of Prophecy, Helps/Service, Teaching, Encouragement, Mercy, Giving, Leadership and Administration. Paul is explaining to the new believers that they are now part of one body - the Body of Christ (the church), yet they all have many individual functions (gifts). Just as the human body is one, with many different parts, all are necessary in order to make things run smoothly!

If you have never discovered your own spiritual gift(s), here's a great tool to help you. Go to http://elmertowns.com/spiritual_gifts_test/. This resource will give you direction and insight to how God has gifted you special in order to serve others!

Once you've "unwrapped" your gift(s), it's time to put them into action. Experiementing with different ministries, organizations, groups, etc. will help you see which ones bring you the greatest fulfillment and God the greatest results! If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me - tonia@pathfinderministries.org.

P - Thank God today that He never makes mistakes and that He has entrusted you with spiritual gifts to serve others in the Body. Don't ignore His generousity and leave your gifts un-opened.

Next Time....Personality

The Sufferings of His Broken Heart by Max Lucado

Go with me for a moment to witness what was perhaps the foggiest night in history. The scene is very simple; you’ll recognize it quickly. A grove of twisted olive trees. Ground cluttered with large rocks. A low stone fence. A dark, dark night.

Now, look into the picture. Look closely through the shadowy foliage. See that person? See that solitary figure? What’s he doing? Flat on the ground. Face stained with dirt and tears. Fists pounding the hard earth. Eyes wide with a stupor of fear. Hair matted with salty sweat. Is that blood on his forehead?
That’s Jesus. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Maybe you’ve seen the classic portrait of Christ in the garden. Kneeling beside a big rock. Snow-white robe. Hands peacefully folded in prayer. A look of serenity on his face. Halo over his head. A spotlight from heaven illuminating his golden-brown hair.

Now, I’m no artist, but I can tell you one thing. The man who painted that picture didn’t use the gospel of Mark as a pattern. When Mark wrote about that painful night, he used phrases like these: “Horror and dismay came over him.” “My heart is ready to break with grief.” “He went a little forward and threw himself on the ground.”

Does this look like the picture of a saintly Jesus resting in the palm of God? Hardly. Mark used black paint to describe this scene. We see an agonizing, straining, and struggling Jesus. We see a “man of sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:3 NASB) We see a man struggling with fear, wrestling with commitments, and yearning for relief.

We see Jesus in the fog of a broken heart.

The writer of Hebrews would later pen, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.” (Hebrews 5:7 NIV)

My, what a portrait! Jesus is in pain. Jesus is on the stage of fear. Jesus is cloaked, not in sainthood, but in humanity.

The next time the fog finds you, you might do well to remember Jesus in the garden. The next time you think that no one understands, reread the fourteenth chapter of Mark. The next time your self-pity convinces you that no one cares, pay a visit to Gethsemane. And the next time you wonder if God really perceives the pain that prevails on this dusty planet, listen to him pleading among the twisted trees.

The next time you are called to suffer, pay attention. It may be the closest you’ll ever get to God. Watch closely. It could very well be that the hand that extends itself to lead you out of the fog is a pierced one.

Yeah...it's Friday!

A - "Our dreams are the blueprints of our hope; they show us what we are to build with our lives."

S - ..."I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." - John 10:10 The New Living Translation says - "My (Jesus) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

A - As we wrap up this first chapter of Pursuing Your Purpose, let's review for today. It's a dark, rainy Friday here in Michigan, so we'll take it easy!

What are you searching for? God planned all our days, before one of them, ever existed (Ps. 139: 13-16). God is the Master Architect. What dream has He placed in you that He wants to build with your life?

Where are you searching? Our importance and meaning in life does not come from things and/or others. God is the only one who can meet our deepest needs, longings and desires. Things and others will always disappoint us.

When are you searching? We all question our purpose at different times of our life. Some do it during important, decision making years. What college, if any? What career, if any? What man do I marry, if any? What does God want me to do for Him? (There's NO "if anything" for that question!) Remember, don't fall into Satan's trap of getting you to believe you're too old, too young, too rich, too poor, too busy, too bored, too damaged, too good....to watch and wait for God's path to His purposes.

How are you searching? The last thing the Enemy wants you to do is find and fulfill your unique design. To live out the dream God placed in your heart and to make a lasting difference in the lives of others. So he deceives people into believing another of his lies - our self-worth = our performance + others' opinions. Reject Satan's lie and accept God's truth instead!

Why are you searching? Last time we learned that our true significance in life comes from serving others. Just before His death, Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment..."Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 (NLT)

P - Thank God today for the plans and dreams He has for you. You may not be clear on what they are right now, but know that He does and He is here to lead you every step along your path to purpose. Thank Him for fulfilling His purpose and giving us an abundant, rich and satisfying life!

Next Week... Understanding Your Purpose