Trading Talents - Part 2

Hey there dear reader!

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while... *looks at the date* *gasps*

Having a break has been nice, but I would like to have a bit more time for blogging. For the last 3 and a half weeks, I have been almost constantly sick with something or other  - add to that a generous handful of sleepovers (before I got sick!), chicken coop dramas, learning a How to Train Your Dragon theme song on my violin, dinner guests, my 101 different projects and schemes, tutoring violin and ukulele, and you have a very full life for yours truly! 😉

I enjoyed reading about what your God-given talents were in the comments of my last post; they were really interesting! Katelyn said that a talent of hers was solving problems, which I thought was different and very cool. Leona commented that she was passionate about being a blessing to other young ladies, which very much resonated with me. And one of SawyerMarie's gifs gits gifts (fingers, just ywp! Oops, I mean TYOE TYEP typee type! Seriously, my fingers feel like noodles after gwpe a hot shower and I am notmaking a sing one of these mistakes up! 😝😫)

*one hour later*

Ok, so now that my hands are back on Earth, I will share some thoughts on Trading Talents! 😂

 Firstly, it has slowly dawned on me in the last week or so; but I think I've found the thing that I'm most passionate about! I was praying about how specifically I can use these gifts in the Kingdom; I knew what my gifts were, but how could I use them for God's glory? I'm still praying about it, but I'm beginning to realise that the godly occupation giving me the most joy is simply... loving people!

It isn't anything that looks amazing or super accomplished, but it gives me a great sense of joy and fulfillment to see someone blessed by a gift, a "word in season", or a gesture of love. In the last year or so, this has been things like making a tiny dollhouse in a box for a 6-year-old friend... writing a friendly letter to an elderly Christian lady... sending numerous godly songs to a friend looking for encouragement... concocting a surprise package for a family friend with cancer... cleaning up a messy kitchen... or even just being extra patient with a grumpy sibling. And this makes me think of an important point -

1). Making the most of a gift or talent doesn't just mean going overseas to serve on a mission trip or having an amazing and important job that engages your skills. It can be just looking out for particular and simple ways to help and bless others in daily life. There are going to be things that you are specially equipped to do - and they can be done in ways that are just as exciting, fun and rewarding as all the big stuff!

2) In order to find what these simple ways are, we need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. He will bring them to our minds and show us what the Father's heart for others is. As we "keep ourselves in the love of God", the Spirit will show us how to best use our hours and minutes in loving the world.

3) Projects are often great ways to use your gifts. *says the project freak* 😂 I may even venture to say they are the way of using your gifts. I mean, when you think about it, what are the things you do to experiment with something you're passionate about? Projects! If you want to use your talent as a chef for God's glory, why not contact your local church to see if you can make some yummy desserts for the next event? Or if you like photography and filming, what about making a short video about

the orphans in India/the abortion industry/a fundraiser for a godly cause, to inspire viewers to take action and show God's love? Smaller projects (like the ones I mentioned at the start of this post) are often a good way to get doing things for the Kingdom. Whenever you see a need that God puts on your heart, there will very often be a project you can do to help.

4) The other way you can use your talents - is making talents! When we hone our skills and learn about the things we're passionate about, it's like sharpening our spiritual swords. Prayerfully deciding to take a course on Spanish might be one of the best things you ever did - since it helps you connect and share the gospel (in their native language!) with the Latin American community where you live. I'm just randomly making stuff up here; I'm sure you, dear reader, get the point! 😀

5) Last, but certainly not least: trading talents is about loving God and loving others. That should be our end goal - in every project, every simple interaction, in every path we pursue. Love is the heartbeat, love is the source, and love is the motivation. Being moved by love means that we don't get proud or vain about our abilities and achievements - because "love does not parade itself, is not puffed up".  Being full of God's love means we are not cast down when there are "impossible" obstacles in the way of our projects - because "love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Being truly loving means we won't get drawn aside by worldliness or ungodly themes - because "love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth".  Love never fails.

I hope you found those 5 thoughts helpful! That was quite a bit of info, so here's a really condensed version to summarise:

💚 Using your talents can be just looking out for particular and simple ways to help and bless others in daily life.

💚 In order to find what these simple ways are, we need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit.

💚 Projects are often great ways to use your gifts.

💚 Whenever you see a need that God puts on your heart, there will very often be a project you can do to help.

💚 When we hone our skills and learn about the things we're passionate about, it's like sharpening our spiritual swords.

💚 Trading talents is about loving God and loving others.

May you be encouraged to keep trading talents for His glory!

Blessings,

 

*cheers* *falls back in computer chair* *weakly throws confetti* After weeks of procrastination, busyness, and others needing the computer, *dramatic pause* I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED THIS HUGE POST! 

*limps away satisfied*