1 Corinthians 12:11

Friday 1/27/12

1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Interpretation:

     God distributes His gifts as He wills. He’s sovereign and always does what pleases Him. So then, if God gives spiritual gifts (and any blessing for that matter) to us according to His will, the question becomes “What kind of personality does God have – one to withhold things from me or one to give freely? Is He going to stingily withhold a blessing from me just because He can?” Well, there are countless verses in the Bible that show us God’s loving and generous character. In Jeremiah 29:11, for instance, He says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This is God’s will for every Christian’s life. Concerning spiritual gifts, He desires to give us just the right gift(s) for what He has planned for our lives. I marvel at how He desires to give us every good thing; and those things are given to us as He wills and in His timing. We don’t have to worry about proving ourselves first or passing some test before He’ll bless us with the gifts we need. God is a loving father who desires to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).

Application:

     I know I am loved greatly by my Heavenly Father and will ask Him to give me a thankful heart today and help me see His blessings, gifts, and working in my life. At the end of the day, I will thank God for at least three specific things that He did or showed me today.