- God has created us to live for His glory, each of us individually and uniquely made, with varying abilities, circumstances and backgrounds.
- While evaluating our gifts and abilities, we tend to swing towards one of two extremes. We either underestimate or overestimate ourselves, and both are debilitating. We are admonished in Scripture not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Yet we should also not think less of ourselves than we ought to.
- There are still Christians doing nothing because they feel they have not been offered a position worthy of them. There also also many Christians waiting in the wings until they feel more worthy or having something spiritual to offer. However, spiritual gifts and natural abilities are both discovered and developed by stepping out and doing something that needs to be done.
- It is not a sign of spirituality to deny yourself or others the gifts God has given you. Instead, you should give the job your best. Perhaps others somewhere could do a better job, but God values your availability. Through stepping out you will learn new things about yourself and gain a fuller understanding of your gifts and abilities.
- People around us are like mirrors. They reflect back to us what our gifts, strengths and weaknesses are.
- When people point out our areas of weaknesses to us, we should not dismiss it as slander. Instead, talk to the Lord about the things people say to you, especially if the same comment comes from more than one person.
- Take the initiative and discuss your weaknesses with others. God wants you to be humble and admit your weaknesses.
- It is good to be inspired by others, but we should not imitate them. God has created each of us to be unique.
- Being all that God intended us to be is not always easy, but the rewards are always great.
- God created each of us and if we have a desire to do something, and the abilities to carry it out, then He could well want us to do it for His glory. God does not give us talents and abilities only to taunt us.
- As we serve others, as we make ourselves available to help where needed most, and as we offer the skills and gifts God has given us to serve in His kingdom as light in the world, we will become all He made us to be.
- We must hear the right voice, among the three different sources of voices that we can hear - the voice of God, the voice of Satan and the voice of sinful desires (flesh).
- The voice that urges us to avoid anything that places a demand on our lives and urges us to take the easy way out is most likely the voice of the flesh. This voice encourages us to pamper ourselves and listen to the promises of God without taking note of the conditions associated with them.
- God wants us to seek Him through prayer, submitting our thoughts and desires to Him.
- Since prayer is conversing with God, we should also give God some time to speak as well. There should be times of stillness and quiet, listening to God through meditation, bible study and expectant silence.
- We should never make a decision based on one impression of prayer. We should test those impressions by seeking Godly counsel, reading God's word, waiting for the peace of the Lord from our hearts and using our minds to analyze what God is leading us to do.
- Our attitude when seeking guidance is critical. If we come to God with an attitude of faith and humility, He promises to speak to us. But if we come with an attitude that we know what's best, we are more likely to hear the voice of Satan, the author of rebellious spirits.
- Satan urges us to rush ahead without fully weighing and considering our choices.
- God guides, Satan drives.
- Therefore if we feel an unnatural urgency about something to the extent that we do not even want to seek counsel or pray further about it, then we should be suspicious about whose voice we are actually hearing.
- One thing that Satan does not want us to do is to pray about things.
- If we are not sure about something, the best thing to do is wait. If it is the right thing to do, God will confirm it.
- From time to time God will use circumstances as a way of guiding us. However He has also promised to give us His peace, which "passes all understanding."
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