By His Strength

I Pet. 4:10-11

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:whoever speaks, as one who speaks the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."

Whether I am speaking or serving, what I say or what I do must be through His strength. But before I consider that issue, I see that my God-given gifts are for serving others. What God gives is for the edifying of His body. I am to be a good steward, that is one who uses the Master's resources in the way that the Master has specified. His resources and His gifts are products of His varied grace. Nowhere do I see here that 'my' gifts are truly mine. They are gifts of His grace to be used for Him. Even my speech is a gift and needs to reflect the Words of God. How can that happen if I am not in the Word? His Words must become my Words!

All my speaking and my serving are through His strength. If it were any other way, what I said or did would not glorify God. Even though I know that the entire purpose of my existence is to bring glory to God, I often wonder how to do this specifically. How do I separate the 'me' from what I do and say? First, I think there has to be a shift in the way I think. Instead of just taking charge in my customary fashion, I need to stop and pray asking the Spirit to guide, lead, and strengthen. After praying, I need to take time to search the Word for words, motives, methods, etc. for the task at hand. Then when I go to serve or to speak, I am armed in the living and abiding Word of God. How can I speak the oracles of God without knowing them? Impossible! I must also be on guard at all times for the intrusion of self into what I do and say. Once self is there, it takes over to the exclusion of all else. Trusting God and His promise, I need to allow my time in the Word work its way out into my every action. Yet, preparation is not the whole. I must also keep that Word constantly by my side and be praying throughout the task so that I can be sensitive to the Spirit's every whisper and prompt.

When I read these verses, I know they are my heart's desire, but the how is so difficult. How do I keep my heart pure and free of self? How do I know the Spirit's way as opposed to my way? Will the two ways be drastically different, or can my way of doing things be Spirit led? There is so much to pray about. I do know that God needs to be glorified. If I truly desire that, I believe that He can work through me changing my 'self-will' to 'as God wills.'

Father,

Make my speech and service yours. As You take my 'self' out, fill me with Your Spirit. Draw me ever deeper into Your Words. Let them become my life's blood and purpose. Show me how to glorify You on a moment by moment basis.

In Jesus name,

Amen