What to Do With Unused Ability
By Rick Warren
“When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed.” Luke 12:43 (NCV)
All of us have unused abilities. But there are three ways that you can start cultivating your abilities so they are being used for good and for God’s glory.
1. Estimate your abilities.
Do an assessment of your life. Do an audit of your abilities. What are you good at? Make a list. If there’s one thing I could say to young people today to prepare for their future, this is it: Know your strengths. Know your weaknesses. Consider the capabilities God has given you.
Parents, help your kids understand their SHAPE—their Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. Your children have far more abilities than they think.
2. Dedicate your abilities.
Commit your abilities to God for the use he intended. Romans 12:1 says, “Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him” (GNT). Say, “God, you gave me these abilities. Now I’m going to give them back to you. I want to use them for the purpose for which you gave them to me.”
3. Cultivate your abilities.
That means to practice, improve, sharpen, and develop. Any ability God gave you can be increased with use. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 10:10, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success” (NIV).
How do you get skills? Practice. God says you need to sharpen your ax. A dull ax takes more energy. He says to work smarter, not harder. Sharpening your abilities—your aptitudes, your skills—is a spiritual responsibility.
God invested enormously in you. First, he created you. Second, he shaped you with spiritual gifts and personality. Then he sent Jesus to die for you. God made an incredible investment in your life! And one day he’s going to ask you, “What did you do with what you were given? How did you use your abilities to honor me, to serve others, to make a living, and to be an example? How did you use them to help other people?”
In Luke 12:43, Jesus said, “When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed” (NCV). I want you to have that blessing. I want God to find you using your abilities in the ways that he intended.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Help Share the Good News of Jesus with the World!
Right now, billions of people around the world still need to hear about the work Jesus accomplished for them on the cross. And through your gift below, you can help reach them!
As thanks for your gift, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s The Seven Greatest Words of Love Bible study*, which explores Jesus’ final words on the cross and uncovers how they hold the key to finding true joy and fulfillment in your life, career, and relationships.
Request your copy when you give today—and thank you for your partnership!
*Video is available in DVD or streaming formats. The workbook will be mailed to you.
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
