Kristen Henderlong

What makes you feel alive?  When is the last time you were doing something and time FLEW by because you were so immersed in the moment?  What were you doing when you last felt proud of yourself?  What do you look forward to most?  What makes you want to be better?  What comes naturally to you when you aren’t overthinking every little thing?

We spend so much time doing what we think we are “supposed” to do.  We worry about building a career path that will be the most financially stable with dependable benefits.  We obsess over finding a significant other to avoid being alone.  We lose sleep over money and how to get enough of it so we can have the comforts we want.  We spend hours with our faces in a screen playing games, watching TV, comparing ourselves on social media and doom scrolling content for that dopamine spike.

Society says to work towards success and provide for yourself.  Society says success equals money, reputation and security.  Society says to escape your problems with any distraction possible.

I believe it’s important to be a good steward of our time and money- absolutely.  However, I also believe we are called to invest—not just money— but our time, energy, and gifts for the Kingdom of God.

When I say the Kingdom of God, I simply mean anything and everything pertaining to God’s will, His family and the rest of eternity.  In God’s Kingdom, there’s healing, restoration, freedom, community, worship, power, laughter, adventure, LOVE and endless beauty.  Everything holy and good.

Although we live in a broken world with evils lurking about, the Kingdom of God is here and it’s spreading through You and me.  I am an image bearer of God and an ambassador of His Kingdom.

So what do I mean by gifts?

It’s obvious that everyone is created differently—down to your DNA— you are unique and one of a kind.  God created you in His image, but still completely you.

As a unique individual, God created you with abilities and gifts, which are special to who you are.  He wants to use those things for the growth of His Kingdom and His glory.

Sometimes it is difficult to really know what these gifts are.  It takes time and practice to fully step into them.  The Bible refers to them as spiritual gifts.

I would encourage you to read all of 1 Corinthians 12, but here is some of it:

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing… He alone decides which gift each person should have (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

I am here to tell you, as follower of Jesus, you have a unique and valuable purpose. The Spirit is at work in your life and He desires to use you for great things.  I like how Paul specifically says, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (1 Cor. 12:).  Which means, these gifts are not for ourselves.  My spiritual gift is not for me so that I can boast or for me so I can feel good about myself.  It is for YOU.

I think about my writing… this blog… it took me a long time to take the leap and put my content out there for others to read.  I allowed fear and doubt keep me from pursuing my potential.  Even now, there are days when I feel those things, but a huge part of stepping into your gifts is trusting God to do the work in you in the process.  Because it’s not from myself.  Sure these abilities are in me, but it is the Spirit in me who bears the fruit.  I could write for the rest of my life, but without the Spirit there would be no significance; no power.

I hit road blocks all the time.  I procrastinate, overthink and spin in circles over things instead of just stepping forth with confidence into my God-given abilities and gifts.  I let fear feed my mind and my will.  I forget what God says about me.  I let failure keep me from trying again.  I let perfectionism prevent me from even starting.  I struggle just like you… but I have to be willing to fail and take the journey.  One step at a time- learning in the process- God’s grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).

So what is holding YOU back from sharing your gifts?

It’s easy to think you aren’t good enough.  It’s easy to believe the lie that someone else would be better for the job or the service.  The enemy will convince you to cower and hide from your potential.  The Bible says the enemy comes to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10).  He will steal your confidence, kill your hope and destroy your potential if you let him.  But GOD… thank God He has plans and a purpose for you and me.  And get this— He gets the last word because He is faithful to complete what He started (Phil. 1:6).

So the next time you find yourself sitting and sulking in self-pity; the next time you fail and doubt your potential, I pray right now, the Holy Spirit will light a fire inside of you to fight against the schemes of the enemy and the lies floating in your head.  I pray you step into the profound confidence God gives you as His child—His heir (Rom. 8:17).  I pray you defy the odds, disrupt the status quo, get uncomfortable and passionately embrace who you were created to be.  May God give you clarity in your gifts and open your eyes to opportunities to use them all around you.

As you keep your eyes on Jesus and walk with Him, the Spirit WILL bear fruit in you.  He promised.

Remember: You are loved.