One of my most deeply rooted beliefs is that we were all created for a specific purpose, and I believe that we’ve been given the unique qualities required to achieve that purpose. My favorite quote is,
It’s something that I’m constantly writing, saying, and speaking into the lives of others. I believe it with every ounce of my being.
While I interact with people who’ve read my material or listened to my videos, I sometimes get pretty good questions. Here’s a question that I received that could help all of us, so I thought I’d share. After reading the section of my book about tapping into our God-given abilities, someone messaged me saying
“Hey Taneka, I loved reading your book, especially the part about discovering your gifts. I believe I’ve discovered mine, so what do I do now?” -Winners Win book reader
I love this question because it seems simple, but the truth is that many people have the exact same question. They think they’ve discovered one or more of their God-given gifts, and now they want to know what’s next for them?
Should they create an instagram page talking about it?
Should they go get a job that gives them a better opportunity to use their gifts?
Should they create a business around their newly found set of gifts?
These are real questions. What does a person do who has just discovered one of the preciously unique qualities given to them by The Creator? Here’s the answer, and it consists of one word - serve.
The only response to this question is to serve, and here’s why.
Our Gifts Are Not For Us. Every single person on this earth is gifted with the ability to do something. Some people have gifts that will land them on stage, and some have gifts that will be used behind the scenes.
Whatever category you fall into, one truth remains: your gift is not for you. Many people make this mistake. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of trying to use your God-given gifts for your own benefit. We want to be celebrated, applauded, and compensated for what we can do, but the truth remains: your gift is not for you.
It’s a sobering reality that we can’t change. Think about it like this, when a manufacturer creates a product, they create the components that go into the product. They give those components assignments and purposes, as well.
Don’t let that go over your head! While God may have placed gifts inside of you, He’s also given those gifts specific purposes, and it’s always about adding value to someone else.
Servanthood Matures You. Earlier I made the statement that there’s something special inside of everyone that God intends to get into the world. While that statement is true, there’s also a caveat: whatever is inside of you will not work properly if it doesn’t mature.
You may be a gifted speaker, but you have to mature.
You may be a gifted thinker, but you have to mature.
You may be a gifted teacher, but you have to mature.
Once you realize your gift is for the betterment of mankind, then you can embark on the journey of serving that gift to the people around you. You’ll realize that the journey of servanthood will teach you several lessons.
Those lessons will mature you if you let them. One of the benefits of servanthood is it brings you low - it humbles you. This shift in perspective will allow you to share your gift with the world without fear, comparison, or jealousy.
Serving Brings Success. Think about the three most successful people you know. I don’t know who you have in your mind, but I can almost guarantee those three people bring massive amounts of value to those around them. In other words, they serve.
When you pinpoint what you do well, service should be the next thing on your mind because service brings success. When you decide that you will live a life of service you are essentially doing what the majority of people refuse to do.
People choose not to serve because it’s not always easy, but serving brings deep fulfillment. When you put your pride to the side and decide to live a life of service you’ll realize that you feel a deep sense of joy doing what you know you were created to do. It’s the way we were designed as humans.
This is a piece of advice that can change the entire trajectory of your life. Don’t take it lightly! If you want to live a life of deep purpose and fulfillment, learn how to live a life of service. Take what has been given to you, and give it away fearlessly, and without expecting anything in return.
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