Since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvellously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be.
Romans 13:5What you are is God’s gift to you.
What you do with yourself is your gift to God.
Danish proverb.
In today’s chapter of The Purpose Driven Life Rick pulls together the SHAPE: spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality and experience, providing helpful and healthy evaluative questions. I’ve found this approach helpful over the last month as I’ve re-evaluated where I’m heading in vocation and involvement with my local congregation. Should I apply for that job? How best can I be used at a local level?
The difficulty is that sometimes there are so many things I could do – giftedly. Choices have to be made – boundaries set, limitations accepted.
Begin by assessing your gifts and abilities.
Where have I seen fruit in my life that other people confirmed?
Experiment with different areas of service.
Consider your heart and your personality
What do I really enjoy doing the most?
When do I feel the most fully alive?
What am I doing when I lose track of time?
Do I like routine or variety?
Do I prefer serving with a team or by myself?
Am I more introverted or extroverted?
Am I more a thinker or a feeler?
Which do I enjoy more – competing or cooperating?
Working through this list helped me realise how much I enjoy online journalism. I can see it as potentially a God-given vocation rather than a distracting hobby.
Examine your experiences and extract the lessons you have learned.
Rick recommends taking an entire weekend for a life review retreat.
Accept and Enjoy Your Shape
Recognize your limitations
Don’t overextend yourself beyond the boundaries in which you best live and work.
Don’t compare yourself with others.
This last section is so helpful. The times I have despaired of myself have been when I have compared myself with somebody else. I’m learning time and time again that such comparison is a pointless exercise.