What occupies your time? Part 2 of 2

*This is a continuation of yesterday's post on what should occupy your time. You can read part 1 here.*

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. ~ 1 Timothy 4:14-16

As I discussed yesterday, your walk with Christ is very important. It is what others see, but pay close attention to your work for the Lord. We have each been given gifts and we are not to squander them. Rather, we are to grow and persevere in it. It will take work. This is not something that will come easy to us.

So, let's talk about the aspects of the gifts and what we need to do with them. It is important to note that the Lord will give every believer at least one gift. It will be something that others see in you. It is then up to you to exercise your gift and let it mold & shape you.

God Gives Gifts

It has been stated in multiple scripture verses in the New Testament that you will receive a gift. God will call you to serve in some form.

Romans 12:3-8
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Ephesians 4:7-8
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:

"When he ascended on high,
He took many captives
And gave gifts to his people."

1 Peter 4:10-11
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Gifts will be Recognized

In 2 Timothy, Paul was given a revelation from God, and told what Timothy's ministry would be. The elders at the church then laid their hands on Timothy, affirming the calling, prayed for him, and the Holy Ghost gave him the gift. In the Latter-Day Saint faith, this is called being set apart.

While some callings are revealed through revelations to others, some gifts are discovered as you grow in your faith. For example, someone may come up to you and say, "You are really good at working with children," or they may say, "You seem to have a knack for that." Believe it or not, they are recognizing gifts that God has given you.

You Must Do the Work

1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Paul was very clear to Timothy. Timothy needed to exercise and develop his gift, and not neglect it. This is a lot like the muscles in your body. If you do not continually exercise them, they will grow weak and unusable.

Your gift will need to be nurtured and it involves a life-long commitment. Your gift may be something that you do not realize you are good at. If you do not explore different areas, you may miss where the Lord needs you the most.

An extremely important aspect of having a gift is to not let trials tempt you in giving up. You must push forward through faith. Opposition will come; there is no doubt. The stronger you are in your faith, the harder the opposition will be. The Bible is full of stories of trials and tribulations, but it is also full of the blessings that were showered down when people persevered. God cannot use you if you quit.

We are all saved through the sacrifice that Christ made when we believe it. However, it is up to us to teach others using our gifts. If we do not do our part, people may never come to learn of the sacrifice. Their salvation rests in your hands.


So, back to our original discussion, what occupies your time? Are you spending a majority of your time working for worldly gains? If you are not walking with the Lord and not willing to pay attention to your words and deeds, you are hindering the Lord's work. The Lord has put upon his followers, Christians, the necessity to spread his word. You MUST walk the walk AND talk the talk. Do not neglect your talents or your part in God's plan. Make sure that everything you do is not a waste of time on Earth.