What Will You Do With What God Has Given You?

Have you ever stopped to consider that everything you have—your talents, resources, relationships, and opportunities—are not actually yours? They've been entrusted to you by God, and one day you'll give an account for how you used them.

This powerful truth applies to every single person, regardless of your faith background or current relationship with God. Let's explore what it means to be entrusted with God's gifts and how we should respond.

God Is the Giver of Every Gift

Each of us has received gifts from God. These aren't just spiritual gifts but include our natural abilities, our resources, our relationships, and our opportunities. 1 Peter 4:10 reminds us: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

Some people are naturally gifted with mechanical abilities, while others have gifts in communication, leadership, or creativity. Some have the gift of making money, while others have gifts of compassion and care. Whatever your gifts are, they didn't originate with you—they were given to you by God.

Why Do We Have Different Gifts?

Have you ever wondered why God doesn't give everyone the same gifts? There are at least two important reasons:


- If one person had every gift, imagine the ego that would develop! They couldn't appreciate others' contributions because they'd always think, "I could have done that better."


- God designed us to be interdependent. When I lack certain abilities, I must rely on others who have those gifts. This creates community and relationship—exactly what God intended.


God Expects Us to Use Our Gifts

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. A master gives different amounts of money to three servants according to their abilities, then goes away. When he returns, he "settles accounts" with them.

This phrase—settling accounts—reveals something crucial: God doesn't just give us gifts and then forget about them. He expects us to use them, and one day He will ask what we did with what He entrusted to us.

What Is God Looking For?

God isn't measuring you by how good you are at using your gifts compared to others. He's measuring your faithfulness in using what He's given specifically to you.

In Luke 21:1-4, Jesus observes people giving offerings at the temple. The wealthy give large amounts, but a poor widow gives two small coins—all she has. Jesus says she gave more than all the others because she gave everything she had been entrusted with.

The issue isn't the amount but the faithfulness. God doesn't expect you to impress Him—that's impossible. He expects you to be faithful with what He's given you.

Gifts Are for God's Glory, Not Our Own

Why has God given us these gifts in the first place? First Peter 4:11 gives us the answer: "So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ."

Every gift you have is meant to bring glory to God, not to yourself. Have you ever seen someone use their gifts purely for self-promotion? It's a dangerous misuse of what God intended.

Whether you're gifted in business, medicine, teaching, parenting, or any other area, the purpose is the same—to glorify God through how you use that gift.

Gifts We All Have Been Entrusted With

While we each have unique gifts, there are some things every person has been entrusted with:


- The Gospel - If you've heard the good news that Jesus died for your sins to reconcile you to God, you've been entrusted with this message. One day, God will ask what you did with it—both in your own response and in sharing it with others.


- God's Word - If you have access to the Bible, you've been entrusted with God's revelation. It's not enough to say we value Scripture—we must engage with it and apply it.


- Conviction - When you feel uncomfortable about something in your life that isn't right, that's God's gift of conviction. It's a sign of His love, like a parent who disciplines their child.


- Relationships - Your marriage, your children, your friendships—these are all gifts from God that you've been entrusted with.


Life Application

As we consider what God has entrusted to us, here are three principles to guide us:


- Don't waste your gifts - Every day you have breath is another opportunity to use what God has given you.


- Don't compare your gifts - Your gifts are specifically designed for you and God's purpose for your life.


- Don't keep your gifts for yourself - They're meant to serve others and glorify God.


Ask yourself these questions this week:

  • What specific gifts has God entrusted to me that I'm not currently using?

  • Am I using my gifts primarily for my own glory or for God's?

  • If God were to "settle accounts" with me today, could I confidently say I've been faithful with what He's entrusted to me?

  • Is there a gift I've been minimizing or comparing negatively to others' gifts?

  • What is one specific way I can use my gifts this week to serve others and glorify God?


    • Remember, one day we will all stand before God and give an account for what we did with what He entrusted to us. Let's live in such a way that we can hear those beautiful words: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

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