“We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us:
prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher,
in teaching; the encourager, in encouragement; the giver, in sincerity;
the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.”
-Romans 12:6-8 -Expanded Reading Romans 12:4-8
I had just been cut from my high school hockey team. I was devastated. My whole life had been devoted to this game. A couple of days later, I was reading the White Bear Lake Tribune, something I never did. In the paper was an ad from the White Bear Hockey Association. They were looking for volunteer coaches. Something in the back of my mind said I should call, which was quite a stretch for this shy 16-year-old. When the person on the other end of the phone line answered, I told him my story. The man replied, “I have been waiting for you to call. I have someone who needs an assistant, and he has very little knowledge of hockey.” Little did I know that one phone call would help me identify my gift. Playing hockey had been my identity, but God had a different plan for me. Through disappointment and a willingness to take a chance, I quickly learned that my gift was to teach.
Now, after 34 years of teaching, I can still look back and wonder what gave me the courage to make that phone call. I have learned that sometimes God can use disappointment to reveal His purpose for our lives. When I felt like a failure, God moved in my life to help me discover that I could still share my love of hockey, as a coach and as a teacher of young players. In Romans 12:4–8, the Apostle Paul reminds us that every person has a different gift, and true fulfillment comes when we use our unique gifts to serve others.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to faithfully use the unique gifts You have given to each of us so we can serve others with humility, love, and joy. Amen.
Written by Greg Swenson