In review of 1 Peter 4:10 it says that “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (NLT).
My abilities should be faithfully used in serving others; none are for our own exclusive enjoyment. I have been given gifts. I need to find them and use them. Even as I seek to discover my gifts, if I see a need in the church, I should seek to meet it. I may find gifts in areas I may have ever considered.
Scripture teaches me that I’ll never find happiness in pleasure, power, possessions, position, or prestige. Nor will I find it in success, sex, salary, or status. Those are all temporary things.
Permanent, ongoing happiness only comes when I give my life away in service. God wired me to give my life away. He did this because God wants me to be like him. Most don’t know this, but there are secrets to joy. And I can find both of these secret pathways to joy through service.
The way to find joy is:
First, get my mind off of myself. The more I focus on myself, the more miserable I will become. To find real joy, I must shift from an inward focus of, “It’s all about me”, to an outward focus, “It’s all about God and serving others.”
This is countercultural. Our society screams that everything should be all about me. But the Bible says, “I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy” (Philippians 2:17 NLT). The truth is, the most helpful people are the happiest people.
Second, use my gifts to help others. It feels good to use my gifts to help others.
The Bible says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT). God blesses me so I can bless others. When I bless others, God will bless me.
If I find myself struggling through a lack of joy in life, try serving others in my community and in my church. Then watch God change my perspective.
In summary, God has given me gifts to serve others (not myself.) It's my job to discover them and then use them. Meanwhile, If I see a need, I should seek to meet it. Material things will never bring happiness, as they are only temporary. A permanent ongoing happiness comes when I give my life away in service. He did this because God wants me to be like him. To find joy, take the focus off of myself, shift from "about me" to about serving God and others. Use the gifts he has given me to help others. God blesses me so that I can bless others. When I do, God will bless me. When I find myself struggling with joy, seek to serve others.
Father I thank you for your word on using my gifts and serving. I also thank you for this time off. It’s a chance to take my focus off work and to enjoy what’s around me and to help energize my batteries. I pray that through the help of the Holy Spirit that I think through my life and my purpose and mission. I pray Shrinek and his work visa situation. It would be my desire that he remain in the country helping us at work, however I would just want what is best for him and his situation. Father, give me wisdom and guidance for my day and my thoughts. I ask these things in your Son Jesus Name, Amen.
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