𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥?

A friend told me the other day that she was trying to figure out what makes her special. I suggested that she would only find that answer in her relationship with God. She countered that she knew why she was special to God but she didn’t know why she was special to humans. I don’t think there’s a separation between the two. Sure, if you want to talk in broad, general terms, God loves us all as His creations. But I think you can ask Him for guidance with your gifts and strengths and He’ll reveal those that are specific to you. They’re the key to fulfilling His plan for your life and they’re also the reason people glow inside when they think of you.

One of the ladies at my church is a gifted musician and a kind, welcoming soul to everyone she meets. Everyone! I can’t fathom it! No one seems to irritate her or make her uncomfortable. She just gives beautiful love to everyone! And I think of those qualities when I think of her, and her spot in my heart glows. Those are her strengths for God and for humans.

My sister is this brilliant, insightful treasure who knows just the way to touch another’s heart. She understands human nature and emotions better than anyone I’ve met. She uses her power for good, finding small ways to make the lives she touches richer. I think of that uncanny ability when I think of my sister, and her spot in my heart glows. That is one of her strengths for God and for humans.

A guy I knew in school is working with the teens at his church now, engaging them in fun, exciting ways and modeling for them a disciplined life. The same as he was always my friend and both encouraging and inspirational to me, he’s blessing those kids. My friend examines himself, is able to maintain a sense of humor, and above all has remained true to his faith. I think of those things when I think of my friend, and his spot in my heart glows.

The catch is that many of us don’t recognize our gifts because those are the aspects of our personality that come as second-nature. God is able to send the right people to highlight them for us, allowing us to polish those skills and use them to further God’s kingdom. If you’re not asking for direction, though, you may miss out on them and focus on your areas of struggle.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩; 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦; 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩; 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵; 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺; 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺; 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺, 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺. Romans 12:4-8