“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 4:10–11 (NIV)
“Excuse me?” I managed to squeak out. I had just explained to a woman that my existing commitments prevented me from accepting a leadership position for a local girls’ organization.
“I said I forgive you,” she repeated. “I forgive you for this, because Jesus forgave me for my sins.”
Hmm.
God does not require us to say yes to every request for our time and energy. It’s not a sin to know and communicate our limits. It’s not a sin to prioritize and make choices that best align with God’s purpose for ourselves and for the health of our families. Before adding another commitment to our lives, as good stewards of our time and energy, we can calculate whether we have the resources to see it through. We can consider whether that opportunity is something God would have us spend our time on.
The instructions in 1 Peter 4:10–11 make clear that we get to use our own gifts, not someone else’s. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 12, we see that the body of Christ works for one purpose—God’s glory—even as we each have different roles to play. When we recognize which season of life we are in (including its limitations), we can more easily see the most pressing work laid out for us as well as the tasks that don’t fit within this frame. Understanding that our work was prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10), and that we are to work at it with all our heart (Col. 3:23), we can be confident as we focus our time and energy with discernment.
Reflect:
Contemplate 1 Peter 4:10–11. How is using your own gifts faithful stewardship of God’s grace?
Pray:
Think about your current responsibilities and commitments. Pray that God will show you if any of these could be pared back so that you can focus your energies on using the gifts he has given you.
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
As my doubts about his teachings grew, so did a secret fascination with Jesus.
We must always be people of the Word, but we’ll have to reimagine deep engagement with Scripture.
