Student Leaders

by Rebecca Cloyd

Isn't it a beautiful thing when someone uses their gifts to glorify the Lord? Like when someone who can sing uses their voice to create worship music?

Or an artist who paints about stories from the Bible? Even athletes who use their abilities to point others toward Christ? It is all amazing to watch. Maybe you are like me and often think that you have no talent or special gift and therefore cannot use it to glorify the Lord. While that thought may be common, it is far from true.

"You were bought with a price, therefore honor God with your bodies" - 1 Corinthians 6:20

You see in 1 Corinthians it says that you were bought with a price; your life has value and purpose and you can honor God by the way that you live! You were chosen by God to fulfill His will for your life. The bible talks about this thing called the "body of Christ", you may have heard of it before. The body of Christ is essentially a community, made up of believers who all serve different purposes and have different roles, but all work together. While the roles might be different, they are all important to the body. In fact, just like our physical bodies, the body of Christ does not function properly unless all of its parts are doing their job.

The way you live matters

So now you might be thinking, "that's great that I have a purpose and a role, but how do I know what that is?" Great question! Before I continue, it is important to know that God uses you where you are. We already covered that your life has purpose and, since it does, that means that the things that go on in your life have a purpose as well; the way you live your life matters.

Acknowledgment, Consistency, Fruitfulness

Finding your calling has three main things to think about: acknowledgment, consistency, and fruitfulness. Starting with acknowledgement, look for things in your life that stand out to other people. I know this sounds weird, but ask your friends and family to point out areas that they think you are gifted in and go from there. Oftentimes other people see us differently than we see ourselves, so having the input of other people would be helpful!

The next point is consistency. I would encourage you to take a look and examine the things that you are passionate about as these things are typically tied with consistency. More often than not, these things are tied to some type of skill in that given area. These passions and desires might change throughout your life, but you have them right now for a reason. Fruitfulness is also key in figuring out your calling. If you see that you are bearing fruit in a given area of your life, it is clear that God is using you through that.

"Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Once you have gone through those things, think of ways that you could use your gifts and passions to glorify the Lord and make a kingdom impact. 1 Corinthians 10:31 it commands us that in all that we do, we ought to glorify the Lord. This command applies to all people in all circumstances, even if your calling is unclear at the moment. If you are living with a "my life for God's glory" mindset, you are living in a way that honors the Lord. My challenge for you is that you would humble yourself to obey God's call for your life, faithfully serve Him through that calling, and allow Him to guide you as you live out that calling.