Submit, God Wants To Use All Of Us.

1^st Corinthians 12:14-15

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body.”

We can all be guilty of saying we have no place, or feeling useless when we see another do well.

It's easy for me to fall into this, when I see others with musical skills or talents I greatly desire to be at their level. But in doing so I completely miss out on worship, and I completely ignore the gifts God has given me. What good does that do? Nothing. It is like I am saying that I have no place in the body because I don't have the gift I want. Thank God that I am wrong in thinking that way. It is quite comforting to know that when I don't feel I measure up God says I'm just using the wrong tape measure.

It says at the end of the chapter “but earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” What are the higher gifts, the top 3 are apostleship, prophecy and teaching. Wouldn't you love to have the gift of teaching or prophecy? And still there is a more excellent way. Can you guess what it is?

This leads into the next chapter 1^st Corinthians 13, known by many as the love chapter. Here we see the purpose for the spiritual gifts each one of us has.

Whatever gifting we have is of no importance without love, for love is “the fulfilling of the law” and love is the only thing that lasts.

Here is my point, whether you are a hand a foot or a mouth does not matter unless you love.

Whatever gifts you have, submit to God when He calls you to use them. Chances are He wants to show someone love through them.

Here is another thing to take into mind. You will likely come across someone who rubs you wrong. Whether they have a different personality type that bothers you, or don't dress in the same style, or they smell funny. Whatever it may be at some point God wants to use them to show love. And he may want to use them to encourage, or rebuke, or teach you. Will you say to them “I have no need of you.”? It's one thing when we feel because of our gifts that we don't belong. It's another thing when we make others feel that they don't belong. This is where we again fall into our theme for the week of mutual submission and adaptability. If we don't submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ we may majorly miss out on a way God wants to bless us through them.

Application

Use the gifts entrusted to me to love others, and submit to brothers and sister in Christ when they encourage, rebuke or teach me.

How?

Tonight before bed I will pray with my room mates to encourage them and show love.