When You Over-Use Your Gifts

You Play Right into Your False Self!

 

Here’s another reason why you need to be able to understand and identify your false self.

Once you do, you’ll come to understand that even your gifts can be misused!

When this happens, your gifts can sometimes become your limitations and sins.

They can actually become part of your false self.

‘What on earth do you mean, Jan?’, I hear you asking.

Let me explain.

This happens when you over-use your God-given gifts, when you make them into something to be proudful about.

And why exactly do you fall for the temptation to overuse your gifts?

Because they’ve become part of your very identify. These gifts, in fact, are how you define/see yourself.

For example: 

• People value me because I’m a responsible person
• People depend on me because I always lend a hand to others in need
• People rely on me because I’m successful at whatever I put my hand to
• People rely on me because I change things that are unjust
• People respect me because I fight for the little person
• People value me because I’m always positive and upbeat
• People rely on me because I always research things properly before I come to a conclusion
• People rely on me because I never get upset
• People admire me because I honour my own individuality

 

You wear your particular ‘hat’ of giftedness with great pride.

You feel completely authentic, ‘yourself’, and comfortable with your special gift.

So … when a need arises for you to be responsible, kind, successful, the one who ensures justice, the fighter for the little folk, the avid researcher etc. etc. … you go for it without thinking through whether it’s the right or the wrong thing to do, to be, in the particular circumstance facing you

After all, you say to yourself, this is what you’re really good at. This is your gift, for Pete’s sake!

Right?

No. Not always.

You see, when you wear your gift ‘hat’ compulsively, when you run it on automatic, without thinking through the consequences, it can get you into trouble. 

And it can also get the others who you’re reaching out to into trouble.

It can become sinful, in fact.

How come, you ask?

Because you’ve made your particular gift into a pride, something you take pride in, something you’re so good at, in fact, that it has become your identity.

You can’t resist NOT using it!

Why Should This be a Concern?

Why should this be a concern?

Because anything that you are so proud of you will defend to the core, no matter what.

But here’s the thing.

Yes, your gift is God-given.

But for that very reason it must be used responsibly.

When it’s employed compulsively, in automatic reactive mode, without thought, it’s no longer a gift.

It’s a liability.

It’s a compulsion.

It’s a weakness.

It’s a limitation.

It can even become a sin.

Compulsions, and sinfulness do not come from your true self but from your false self, a self that does harm to God’s purposes for you and for others.

One More Very Important Point

One more point.

This kind of unthinking, compulsive behaviour can make you vulnerable to Satan’s wily ploys.

You see, the devil loves it when you act compulsively.

He knows that, sooner or later, it will lead to trouble.

And the devil loves to see God’s women get themselves, and others with them, into trouble.

He knows it will hinder, not help, the Lord’s purposes both for you and for any others involved.

He will therefore use it to bring the maximum harm to the maximum number of people.

Prayer of the Heart Helps You Understand

the RIGHT Way to Use Your Gifts

 

Prayer of the heart helps you understand the right way to use your gifts.

It can act as a buffer to misusing your giftedness.

It’s a completely reliable way towards your transformation into God’s image, and it does so in a way that lasts.

The Lord’s Unique Gentleness

The Lord is not impatient like us humans!

He never puts more on you than He knows you can handle.

He will dismantle your ‘old’ self and clothe you in your ‘new’ self in such a skilled, loving, gentle, and patient way that you might well not notice for some time the changes that have taken place in you.

In fact, quite often other people notice them before you do!

 

----

 

You May be Sure of This:

Whatever God Takes Responsibility for

He Executes Faultlessly

 

You may be sure that God is utterly dependable.

 

He is faithful to the enth degree.

 

You can always be entirely confident that whatever He takes responsibility for He executes faultlessly.

 

And He does so in a way that is authentic and that lasts!

Try these exercises …

Exercise 1: Write yourself a letter

1. Jot down briefly anything that you learned from this article that you might not have known or thought of before.

2. Describe briefly your response to it.

3. Was it positive, negative, or a bit of both?

4. Do you think this new knowledge might possibly change your relationship with the Lord?
    Reflect on this as honestly as you can.

5. Was there anything that you found difficult to understand/accept? Be honest.
   Make a brief note of this for your own future reference.

6. What did you find inspiring?
   Explain briefly.

7. It can help to share your answers with a trustworthy friend.

 

Exercise 2: Read Ephesians 3: 16 – 19

Read Ephesians 3:16-19 s-l-o-w-l-y.

Read it in 2 or 3 different translations if you can.

Read it again, s-l-o-w-l-y.

Read it one last time —again s-l-o-w-l-y.

Is there anything in this passage that specially stood out for you?

Is there anything that you want to personally experience in your relationship with the Lord?

Write the Lord a letter explaining whatever you want/need from Him.

 

----

 

Read Part 1 of this article here

Read Part 3 of this article here 

 

Scroll down for your Recap …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recap …