Philippians 3:8-10 (MSG)
8 Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ 9 and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
10 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself.
🖌️🖼️ God created you as His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10, NLT), and He gave you special talents, gifts, and abilities that are part of your God-given design. But there is one assumption God wants to challenge you with in regard to this truth. Because of sin, sometimes we might use our gifts in the wrong way—maybe for selfish reasons or without thinking about how God wants us to use them. That’s why the first thing we must do is give everything we have back to Jesus.
Just because God calls you His masterpiece and had delightfully and purposefully designed you with a unique personality, wiring, passion, skills, abilities, and gifting as well as purposely orchestrated experiences and background, you cannot assume your God-given design automatically reflects God as He so desires!
“…you cannot assume your God-given design automatically reflects God as He so desires!”
Imagine you have a beautiful paintbrush, but it’s covered in mud. You wouldn’t want to start painting with it right away! You’d clean it first so that the colors would be bright and beautiful. In the same way, when we consciously surrender our God-given design, talents, time, and abilities to Jesus, He cleanses them and empowers us to use them in the best way—aligned with how He designed us to live.
We must also remember that our personal design and gifts come from our Designer God, not from us. If we try to use them on our own without trusting Him, we could use them in a way that doesn’t bring Him glory. That’s why we must surrender everything to Him first. When we give our God-given design, time, gifts, and even our plans to Jesus, He doesn’t take them away—He gives them back to us even better than before!
Think of a cup. If you hold onto the old water inside, it gets stale. But if you pour it out with a surrendered heart to receive, God can refill it with fresh, clean water. That’s how our relationship with Him works—when we give everything to Jesus, He fills us with new strength, new wisdom, and new joy.
Jesus taught this to His disciples. Peter, James, and John were fishermen, but when Jesus called them, they left their fishing nets to follow Him. Later, He used their skills in an even greater way—to fish for people and spread His love.
Whatever we give up for Jesus, He gives back to us in an even better way.
Be ready and willing daily, moment by moment, to give back to God what He has given us—our God-given design, time, talents, and blessings. When we do, we allow Him to fill us with even greater things. The more we give, the more we receive. The more we empty ourselves, the more we can be filled with God’s love, grace, and purpose. The more we are empowered to stand tall on the canvas of our God-given design!
Simple List to Remember and Put Into Practice:
• You are God’s masterpiece! He uniquely designed you as His one-of-a-kind display to reflect Him to others in a one-of-a-kind way! (Ephesians 2:10).
• Sin can make us use our God-given design and gifting in the wrong way. That’s why we must give them to Jesus first.
• Surrender everything to Jesus. Let Him cleanse and use your God-given design and gifts for His glory.
• The more we give to God, the more He fills us. Like an empty cup, we must make space for Him to pour into us.
• Stay open to God’s work in your life. Always be willing to give back what He has given you, so He can keep filling you with His best!
Deep, Personal, and Reflective Questions to consider:
Read through the following list of questions and be careful to notice which one(s) stand out to you most right now and give reflection time to those.
New Awareness & Perspective:
1. What gifts, talents, or strengths has God given me? How would I know if I had fully surrendered them to Him?
2. In what ways might I be using my God-given design and giftings for myself rather than for God’s glory?
3. What areas in my life come to mind right now that I might be holding on too tightly instead of trusting God to take control? What indications made me spot these right now?
4. What might it look like in my life right now to see God bless and multiply something I have surrendered to Him?
5. What fears or doubts make it hard for me right now to let go and trust God fully with my God-given design and gifting?
6. Considering the current season of my life right now, in what particular way does the idea of “giving up to receive more” challenge the way I think about success, purpose, and fulfillment?
7. What might it look like, sound like, feel like this week to stay in a posture of being “empty” before God so that He can continually fill me?
8. If I gave everything I am and have to Jesus, what difference would my life look like today?
Practical Application:
1. What is one specific talent or strength I can surrender to God today?
2. How can I use my gifts to serve others rather than just benefiting myself?
3. What daily habit comes to mind right now that I could practice that might help me offer my time, talents, and possessions to God?
4. How can I remind myself to seek God’s will before making decisions about my abilities, time, and resources?
5. In what ways can I practice “pouring out” what I receive—whether through gratitude, service, or generosity?
6. Who in my life right now can help hold me accountable in surrendering my gifts and trusting God?
7. What is one practical step I can take this week to let go of something I’ve been holding onto too tightly?
8. How can I intentionally create space in my life to receive more of God?
9. What Bible verses can I meditate on today to strengthen my trust in God’s plan for my life?
10. How would I know if I am truly abiding in Christ and allowing Him to use all that I am for His glory?
These questions are meant to deepen self-reflection and help move you from awareness to action, aligned to your God-given design.
You are God’s masterpiece!
Stand tall on the canvas of your God-given design!
Helping you live aligned,
Tami
Check out my Free 14-Day Masterpiece Bible, Prayer, & Journaling Guide:
Each day includes Bible reading, prayer prompts, questions, and step-by-step journaling instructions to help you deeply reflect and further live aligned to your God-given design.
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