In Service

This post is by Jen Shultz.

In a world where we are consistently challenged to become more self aware, I certainly still have some major blind spots. Knowing the things I do not do well is not always the problem. It is glaringly obvious I am never going to run a marathon or be able to lift heavy objects. My body just is not built for those things and if you knew how quickly I was able to list those deficits in my wheelhouse, you might be shocked. But, that is how the temporal has us focused—on our shortcomings. Always deficient in some area so we need more—t o buy, to do, to be MORE. 

While I know that makes me seem cynical, it is an observation I have made in my own life. I see so much good in others, but I am not always as quick to give myself credit on things I do well. It is an odd balance this world requires of us—to understand our faults in depth, but to be humble about our accomplishments or the things we do well.

So where do we find the space where both things are celebrated? In short, I think the answer to that is “in service”. When we use the frame of reference “in service” to consider our skills and organize what we are good at and what we need to focus our improvement efforts towards, suddenly it becomes about being better for Kingdom work and less about being prideful. Taking a personal inventory is likely to be eye opening on several fronts, but recognizing our gifts and how they might be used for the glory of God is the best way I can imagine to start a new year and a clean slate. It gives us a starting point for setting goals and making plans. 

So, what does it look like to take a personal inventory and feel comfortable recognizing where we excel and where we need to improve? There are worksheets, courses, bullet point lists, and journals available. A quick search online gave enough options and material to make me feel utterly overwhelmed, but it does not have to be that complicated, friend. Recognizing the talents, abilities, or capacities we have been given is important work. We were not given these just willy nilly, friends. These are gifts meant to build up the body of Christ and to draw people around us closer to the foot of the cross. 

What does the framework look like for us to be more fully self aware? No spreadsheet needed. A simple sheet of paper with two columns and one purpose- fulfilling God’s mission of serving others. My columns are titled: What I Do Well and What I am Drawn to Do. Not what am I bad at or what I constantly feel inadequate in, instead an actual list of the gifts I have been given and places where I feel God is leading me that I might need to work on. We were born with everything we need to answer His call, but the world sure tries to stifle that outlook and knowledge. Taking that personal inventory and knowing how you are called is the best way to make sure you are ready to go where you are called, friends. 

Jen is a small town, Oklahoma girl married to a superhero. She is a firm believer in grace, organization, and efficiency. She finds great satisfaction in taking broken items and giving them new life, likely because that is exactly what God did for her. Jen calls her family her greatest accomplishment and is loving watching it grow generationally. A natural born encourager and armchair warrior, she is learning to redefine her mission field and make the most of each day she is given. She has recently been promoted from breast cancer warrior to breast cancer survivor. She’s chronically ill and chronically positive—not necessarily in that order. She is learning to practice perseverance over perfection and longs for the day she gets to see her grandparents and Jesus’ face. Until then, she is just looking for Grace in the Grind.

Photo by Dixit Dhinakaran on Unsplash