I can’t help but stop and be amazed when I see a bird’s nest. I mean . . . they are incredible!
No fingers and thumbs to weave the sticks and grass. No arms to reach out and hold it. No wire or glue or nails. Carefully constructed, one stick at a time. One blade of grass at a time. Just a beak and an ability. Woven together beautifully, intricately, and intricately. The bird doesn’t fret over how it will build a nest; it just goes about the work. God has provided the skills for the bird to do what it needs to do.
Now I have tried my hand at making a wreath out of sticks. Using both of my hands — plus the help from my husband’s two hands. Plus wire. Plus needle-nose pliers. Plus some extra wire to hold it more tightly together when it was too loose.
I do not think I could take twigs and grass with my two hands and create a sound nest. In fact, I know I can’t. But I am not meant to. God provides all the essentials. Nest building isn’t one of them for me.
God has, though, given each of us our own individual gifts. Incredible gifts. Unique gifts.
He designed each of those details of who we are.
Yet, how often do we worry if we are good enough? How often do we compare ourselves to others, even though we have our own special set of skills given just to us?
When we do that, we are forgetting what He has blessed us with. We are acting as though the very gifts He has given us are not good enough. He knows what we need and He has supplied our needs. Just be open and willing.
Everything is from Him. Everything is for Him.
We serve Him faithfully when we use our gifts to honor Him.
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
{1 Corinthians 12:4-6}
You have amazing potential with your gifts, I only hope you see it. God works in very different ways through each of us. So it doesn’t matter what your neighbor is doing or your friends. It doesn’t matter what the popular bloggers are doing. Make time for your gift. Be intentional.
Step out with the abilities God has specifically chosen for you. Choose to use your talents rather than bury them like so many people do. Use what you have been given to glorify Him.
You were created to share your gifts with the world!
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” {Romans 12:11}
Next time you are questioning your gifts, your talents, your skills, or your abilities, just remember the sweet little birds that can build an intricate nest with nothing more than the beak God gave them. They do so much, with so little.
God has given us so much. I hope we can do so much.
Are you using what He gave you? Today, I encourage you in your gifts!
Written with love from Jennifer, StudioJRU.
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I so enjoyed reading this today! I often marvel at birds nests and the many incredible things Gods creatures do that are so amazing that we as humans could never do. Makes me remember how awesome our God is and that He has a plan for each of us.
I marvel at all those creatures too, Donna. Just amazing. Our God is awesome!
Thanks Jennifer,
So many times I think of myself as a “jack of all trades…master of none”. But, just because we aren’t the world’s best at our craft, doesn’t mean that we don’t have something to offer. God gives each of us a very unique touch that no one else possesses. My writing may reach a certain audience that someone else’s doesn’t. That’s why we are all needed, with our unique talents, in this game called life. Thanks for the encouragement to not compare!!
Blessings,
Bev
You are exactly right, Bev. We are all needed. Yes! Thank you for sharing!
Bev, I have felt the same way for many, many years. I’m just now truly coming out of that “jack of all trades…master of none” mentality. Thanks for being so open about that. I have used those exact words to describe myself. And they served very well to be a hindrance to using any of my gifts, like writing.
And great post, Jennifer! TY.
I have heard that phrase so often and you are right, Dannielle, it does serve as a hindrance to using our gifts. I hope you are encouraged to use your gift of writing!!
What wonderful encouragement. It’s so easy to feel like our gifts aren’t what’s fashionable or what’s wanted at a particular moment. In other words, it’s easy to come up with excuses. Harder to remember God gave us each particular gifts for a reason and to just jump in and use them. Hope you have a great week!
Yes, Amy, those darn excuses can be too easy some times! I hope you have a great week ahead using those special gifts He gave you!
I absolutely love this. Thank you for writing it- it spoke directly to my heart today.
Yesterday I struggled all day long with what you wrote. I continued my lament about who I am all during my drive in to work this morning, definitely feeling anything but “good enough”. More like “lacking enough” or “lazy enough” or “directionless enough”; that’s where my thoughts camped. But then I came in to work and read this and it gave me hope.
As of July 6, 2015, my youngest’s 21st birthday, I have declared that I am on an “intentional” journey – it’s not the journey that is intentional; it is the being intentional that is my journey. So when you wrote “be intentional”, it was as if God used his yellow highlighter on those two words to make me notice and say, “See? I’m using this post to speak to you.”
I’m printing this out and adding to my Intentional Journey items that I’m discovering along the way. Thank you, once again, for letting us know that in God, we are always good enough because He has made us as we are.
Oh Beth, I just love the thought of God using His yellow highlighter! I do love when that happens! So grateful this spoke to your heart in such a way this morning. An “Intentional Journey” sounds wonderful!
Thank you for this encouragement, Jennifer! I absolutely love the bird nest analogy.God has designed us to love and Worship Him and to love others and then He gave us all these individual gifts to do the same thing, but in a different way. It’s so beautiful.
Individual gifts to do the same thing, but in different ways… goodness, that is a beautiful thing! Thank you, sweet friend!
Jennifer,
Loved the birds’ nest analogy. God has given each of us different talents. He wants and expects us to use them for His kingdom. Mine happens to be encouragement. I send out cards, make meals, pray, let others know how important they are and that they are loved.
I am on a journey of caring for my aging dad. He moved to assisted living last year and from March of this year till now my dad has declined rapidly. So much so that we had to call in hospice last Friday (July 17). He seems ok today, but it is just a matter of time. So hard to watch the progression of dementia & sun downers. But this is what God has called me to do!
Blessings 🙂
What a precious gift He has given you, Beth. Bless you for listening and using the talent He has chosen for you. Praying for you and your dad during this difficult time.
God bless you and strengthen you as you use your wonderful gift with your dear Father and those around him there.
Thank You…how timely too…lots of doubt going around my head about jobs, interviews, what should I really be focusing on….this gave a little “Aha” moment to me.
Happy to hear this was timely for you, Ms. Witi. Praying for you as you navigate using the gifts and talents He has chosen for you.
Hooray for this post! How encouraging. You, Jennifer, have the gift of insight, encouragement, and writing. As the Spirit works in my heart, encouraging me to use my gifts, to not be afraid of what others think and BE INTENTIONAL as you said, I know I have been blessed by reading this. It is not about us anyway. We were created from Him and to use our lives FOR Him. I love that. Our gifts are not ours to keep, but to be used as a mere tool in glorifying His Name, pointing others to Christ and Truth, demonstrating the deep, deep love of our Savior. Can you tell how excited I am?! 🙂
Thank you, Jennifer. This statement of yours spoke to my heart: “They do so much with so little” (masterpiece-nests created by birds). And most of the time those nests are hidden. Few people see them; few give accolades to the beaked-artisans. Similarly, our efforts may be behind-the-scenes where few people see, where few accolades are given. But GOD sees, and HE is pleased that we’re exercising the gifts he’s given us. THAT is enough.