Good Gifts for Tough Times

Some of the most important lessons in my life are the ones I learned the hard way. Falling and skinning my knees was part of learning to ride a bike. The possibility of receiving a low grade motivated me to do my schoolwork. Long hours of conditioning and basketball practice were no fun, but without them I wouldn't have been in shape to play the games.

Life's hard edges are refining stones to polish the rough spots in our character. God uses hardship for our maturation, just as a loving father disciplines his children (see Hebrews 12:4-11). The consequences of a foolish purchase can make us smarter with money. Getting drenched will remind us to bring an umbrella the next time it rains. A botched business deal will make us more careful in future negotiations. Learning from our mistakes will make us better leaders. The hard way is the only way to develop perseverance, patience, endurance and faithfulness.

We shouldn't expect life to be easy. Even the Son of God "learned obedience from what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8) and he willingly chose the hard way of the cross. James wrote that on this side of Heaven we can expect to "face trials of many kinds." But in the same chapter he noted, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights" (James 1:2, 17).

There's actually a connection between our "trials" and our "gifts." For every trial we face, the Lord provides a corresponding gift. In fact, a time of adversity and need is exactly when a spiritual gift is meant to be used. A blessing isn't a license for self-indulgence; it's an opportunity to serve. A God-given talent isn't a trophy to show off; it's a responsibility to fulfill.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10).

When a neighbor is hurting and discouraged, a believer with the gift of mercy can make all the difference. When someone lacks knowledge and understanding, the gift of teaching fills the void. When part of the body is undergoing financial strain, a Christian with the gift of giving can meet the need. When a group suffers from lack of direction and organization, it's an opportunity for a believer with the gift of leadership or administration.

When there's work to be done in the body of Christ, we shouldn't seek the easy assignments and gravitate toward the path of least resistance. Sometimes the Lord calls us to do tasks that are far beyond our "giftedness"—jobs that will stretch our faith and force us to use some unfamiliar spiritual muscles. But in a church culture that truly values the contributions of every member, we will find a remarkable reservoir of need-meeting talent scattered purposefully throughout the body of Christ. In the Lord's wisdom, he has constructed the church in a way that distributes the workload and gets the job done when the whole body is encouraged to be part of the action.

Do you see a weakness in the church that needs to be corrected? A burden that needs to be carried? A problem someone needs to solve? Challenges like these are opportunities for ministry, and the Lord has gifted members of the body of Christ to meet these needs. Just as some of life's greatest lessons are the ones we learn the hard way, some of God's greatest gifts are meant to be used in the toughest of times.