"Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." – C.T. Studd

Life is short and I can live it only once, so I'd like to make the best use of it. I cannot do everything, but I can certainly do some things well. Sometimes, we may be able to identify the things that we can do best by going through a process of elimination: "I can't __________, but I can __________." Recognizing what I can't do helps me to understand better what I can do.

For example, I recognize that I could never have been an opera star. That was the wrong aspiration for me. However, I have enjoyed singing in church choirs and community choral groups. In this case, I'm best suited for teamwork, not a starring role. I did not have what it takes to be a Rhodes Scholar or to qualify for Mensa — wrong league for me. I have a college degree, however, and I can get many of the correct responses for Jeopardy! I would never have aspired to be CEO of a major corporation — not in my range of skills. I have exercised leadership, nonetheless, as a teacher, Sunday school superintendent, committee chair, etc. I am not an artist — not my talent — but I love to paint pictures with words.

But before we too quickly eliminate all possibilities of the things that we feel ill-equipped to do, remember that Moses tried to use his perceived inability to do what God asked him to do as an excuse for not doing it. God made it clear that Moses' inability was not a valid excuse, because He Himself would equip Moses for the job that he was asked to do.

Exodus 4:11-12 – Then the Lord asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say." (NLT)

So it is with us. We may recognize our abilities as a fitting gift to offer to God in service, but we can also offer our inabilities, trusting Him to use our weaknesses as well as our strengths. As we give our lives wholeheartedly for our Master's use, He will use us as He chooses.

2 Corinthians 12:9a – Each time [God] said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." (NLT)

Prayer: Dear Lord, we are Your servants, and we are each gifted in unique ways to bring glory to You. Show us how we can serve You best, whether in strength or in weakness. May we faithfully use our gifts and abilities to make a difference in the world around us. Amen.

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About the author:

Gail Lundquist <gail10833@gmail.com>
Beaverton, Oregon, USA
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