When It Doesn't Come Naturally

Isn’t God kind to endow various gifts to people? I am related to exceptionally gifted women. My mother is highly administrative. The women’s ministry at Chesapeake amazing, complete with weekly Bible Study (child care provided), quarterly ladies meeting (food provided), amazing ladies retreat every other year, and the Christmas Breakfast which draws more unbelievers than any other church event. My mom’s gift of vision and administrative ability is a distinct means of grace to the ladies at Chesapeake. My sister, Karyn, is an amazing interior designer. She has such a gift of making things beautiful. Anytime she stays at my house to watch the kids, when I come home, it is “re-accessorized”. It’s amazing what she can do by just clustering this, or shifting that. My sister-in-law Abby, is the voice of songs such as Everlasting, Jesus, My Only Hope, and many more on the Sovereign Grace worship cd’s. Her voice is more than beautiful, it is anointed! My sister in law Emily is a great writer. In particular, she writes skits. I am amazed at her creativity, humor, and depth revealed in each and every skit she writes. Again, it goes beyond talent to something anointed by God. My mother in law, Debbie, is a gifted choir director. She directed the Christmas Cantata this year, and her grace and musicality, combined with love for worship made for a powerful performance. I love seeing God use different people's gifts to bless the church, but lately I have been thinking about what happens when God calls us to something that we are not naturally gifted in. It was triggered by a post by Carolyn McCulley. Carolyn was answering a question someone asked about counsel for introverts who want to grow in hospitality. Carolyn wisely answered beginning with the following:

I hope it encourages you to know this, but some of the best people I know at drawing others out are actually introverts. They've submitted themselves to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, so there is a Spirit-controlled aspect to their natural personality, if you will.

Somehow, Carolyn’s comment has resonated with me ever since. There are some areas where God has given a measure of gifting or capacity and those things feel natural to me. There are many other areas, however, that don’t feel like such a good fit. For example, I am not naturally gifted in home management. But I have seen how by submitting to the Sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (not always a pretty picture, I assure you) there is to the glory of God alone, growth in this area. Seeing how God can work through the Holy Spirit to cause ability beyond what is natural gives me faith to step out where I might have feared to tread before. It also helps me to want to submit more to the Holy Spirit’s work, instead of wish I were naturally a little more cut out for certain things. Gifts given by God do most definitely glorify God – my family is a constant display of this truth. But it is beautiful in a different way to see ladies walking with “a Spirit-controlled aspect to their natural personality,” like when someone who doesn’t feel comfortable cooking brings a meal to a new mom; or when a shy caregroup leader’s wife leads her growth group; when a “comfortable behind-the-scenes pastor’s wife” gives a teaching (mom); or when a more “spontaneous” lady submits to the routine of housework; when a night owl learns to rise early for devotions, or a non-reader makes it through the Bible – what beauty! “The Lord God helps me, therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.” Isaiah 50:7