No matter your age, what have you achieved so far?
Good exam results?
Creative hobbies?
Keen sports competitor?
Great friends?
Do you take stock?
Do you ever plan?
Do you have goals?
Dreams?
Ambitions?
Or do you just drift through life, taking a laissez faire attitude?
Do you think you can influence the course of your life?
What about God?
Do you know his plans for you?
“EACH OF YOU SHOULD USE WHATEVER GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED TO SERVE OTHERS, AS FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF GOD’S GRACE IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS.”
1 PETER 4:10
Regardless of how badly you castigate yourself, dig deeper and find something you are proud of.
God has given us all talents…
It might just take some time to discover yours.
Every talent has the same value to God.
Some people are gifted with cleaning skills.
So an expert cleaner has the same value to God as a Renaissance painter or classical musician. Michelangelo’s or Beethoven’s talents do not rank higher.
Do you believe this?
Time to start valuing and appreciating the talents God has given you.
This means looking at yourself as a child of God.
God has made us all in his image and loves every one of us unconditionally.
Not only is that amazing but he has given us all individual gifts.
There are three steps to appreciating this:
This is easier than you think.
If you love your dog, you would not spend hours each day criticising it as you do yourself.
You praise your dog for every little compliance with your wishes.
You treat your dog as something precious and of great worth.
Now think of yourself in the same light.
Think of even the smallest thing you did well.
Emptied the dishwasher?
Got to work on time?
Listened to your neighbour’s grumbles about the weather?
Give yourself praise.
Now thank God for gifting you that ability.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.
What did Jesus say about our value to God?
ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A CENT? AND YET NOT ONE OF THEM WILL FALL TO THE GROUND APART FROM YOUR FATHER. BUT THE VERY HAIRS ON YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. SO DO NOT FEAR; YOU ARE FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN MANY SPARROWS.
MATTHEW 10:29-31
Ask Jesus to intercede on your behalf.
Ask him to help you to discover and appreciate your true value, to work towards being the best version of yourself, to the glory of God.
DEAR JESUS WE ASK THAT YOU HELP US TO PRAY TO GOD THE FATHER THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT MAY ASSIST US TO DO EVERYTHING FOR THE FATHER’S GLORY. THAT WE CAN GROW TO APPRECIATE WHAT GOD INTENDS FOR OUR LIVES AND THAT WE FULFILL IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. AMEN