Time’s short, my friends. The world’s unraveling. Truth is mocked. Sin is marketed. Everything stable feels shaky. And deep down, most of us feel it. Are we living in the last days? Of course, we're not here to set dates or draw charts for no one knows the “day and the hour” (Matthew 24:36). Nonetheless, we are allowed to understand the season of His return. When the signs are shouting and the darkness is thickening, you don’t need a prophecy expert to tell you it’s not business as usual.
It’s time to get up, show up, and use what God gave us.
You Were Gifted for This Hour
As believers, we’re not meant to sit back and watch things crumble. We’re here—right in the thick of it—to build what’s good, to speak with a sincere heart, to love bravely, to show up when it’s hard. This is the work. We’re here to be part of the mending.
Remember Esther? You, too, were born for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).
Every one of us has been given gifts by God. Every. Single. One.
If you’re in Christ, you have the Spirit. If you have the Spirit, you have gifts. And if you have gifts, it’s time to use them. You have something now that both our fellow Christians and the unbelievers need. And it’s not buried deep. It’s already in your hands. Encouraging. Praying. Creating. Leading. Giving. Listening. Serving. Whatever it is—it’s time to use it.
There’s No Bench in the Body of Christ
Christianity isn’t a spectator sport, not at all. The ministry isn’t reserved for the people with microphones and TikTok/Instagram followings. And most importantly, God hasn’t benched you. He’s positioned you. You’re not here to survive the chaos. You’re here to pierce it with truth, with grace, and with power. And He’s given you everything you need to thrive in these dark hours.
You are part of the Body. That means if you don’t function, something goes missing. We know what happens when a part of our body stops doing its job—everything feels it. The Church is the same. If you bury your gift, the Body limps.
Our gift can be the answer to someone else’s deepest need. So, if it’s left unused—tucked away—behind our fears, distraction, or hesitation, it can’t do the work it was meant for. We weren’t made just to get by. We’re here to live with purpose, to breathe meaning into our lives through even the smallest acts.
Let’s Stop Waiting for Perfect
There is no perfect moment.
Courage doesn't come before obedience—it often comes through it. We don’t need to wait to step into our purpose. We just need to say, “Yes.”
Yes to leading that Bible study.
Yes, to serving that neighbor.
Yes to mentoring that teen.
Yes to starting, building, speaking, and giving.
Do we feel small? Good. That means we’re ready.
The best heroes in Scripture didn’t feel qualified. Moses stuttered. Jeremiah was too young. Peter was impulsive. Timothy was timid. Paul had a past.
God doesn’t look for swagger—He looks for surrender.
If we wait until we feel powerful, we’ll never move. But if we trust the power of the One who called us, we’ll do more than we thought possible.
We should be aware by now that God uses ordinary folks to do big things. Why so? So the glory is His, not ours.
Think of David, a shepherd. Peter, a fisherman. Esther, an orphan. Ruth, a widow of simple means.
Use It Before You Lose It
Jesus told a parable about servants who were given “talents”—resources to steward while the master was away. Two of them invested what they were given. One buried his out of fear. When the master returned, he didn’t rebuke the ones who tried and maybe failed a bit. He rebuked the one who did nothing (Matthew 25:14-30).
The crux of the matter?
Burying your gifts doesn’t protect them. It wastes them. And in a time like this, we can’t afford to waste anything.
How Do I Know My God-Given Talent?
That used to puzzle me, too. But this is what I’ve learned: if I work on something with the skill God has given me, it always leaves me with a sense of peace, a deeper sense of purpose.
So, if after using a skill leaves you with that deep-down, quiet kind of peace, almost like a balm to your soul, that’s your God-given talent. But there is one more box to tick... does it glorify God? Does the output of your work reflect the values taught in Scripture? Then we can say with certainty, that’s the talent you were blessed with.
So, be bold enough to use what’s already in your hands. That’s where your purpose lives and breathes. Stop tucking away the things you’re quietly great at and start using the skill that gives you the kind of peace that settles deep into your soul, the talent you’re meant to shine with.
Remember, though, God limits us to keep us humble, prompting us to be dependent on His strengths, like Paul.
“I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do know. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.” 2 Corinthians 11:6 NIV
Paul was gifted with the knowledge of the Scripture; that was his God-given talent. However, he wasn't the most eloquent speaker. So, if the instrument required to exercise your God-given skill is a bit constrained, understand that it’s in that very place of struggle where the mind stumbles, and your heart feels rattled, that God invites you to trust in Him. So, don’t let some limitations or obstacles prevent you from doing God’s work.
What’s Holding You Back?
Fear of failure?
Fear of people?
Fear of not being “enough”?
Those are real. But they’re also lies. The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead lives in us. We’re not meant to carry the pressure of saving the world. We’re meant to be faithful with our piece of it.
Who Should I Serve?
And you might ask, "Who should I serve with the skill God has given me?" I wondered the same thing. And the sooner the question popped up, the answer appeared. In the beginning, it’s the people in my circle–and then it extends outwards to pagan worshippers, people delving in witchcraft, and the atheists with whom I engage and debate online.
So, who are you to serve with the skill you have?
Who’s right in front of you? Often, it’s your immediate family, a friend, or your circle. Then, God will move you beyond that small circle as you faithfully serve Him with the talent He blessed you with.
Shine for Jesus
We live in a generation that’s entertained, distracted, informed, and overwhelmed—but rarely changed. People are scrolling past hope, numbing pain, and chasing identity in a thousand directions. The noise is deafening. The lies are constant.
What’s the solution?
Not louder opinions. Not trendier churches.
But believers who show up—clear, kind, steady, Spirit-filled, and unshakably faithful.
Believers who use what they have, right where they are, without apology.
Let’s live like He’s coming back any day, any moment. Because He is. The Judge is at the door. The King is returning. And when He comes, He’s not asking how big your gift was. He’s asking: Did you use it? Did you love well? Did you finish the race?
What Does It Look Like to Use Your Gifts?
You might be asking, What does it mean to "use your gifts" in a world like this?
It could look like:
Clarity in a culture of confusion. Maybe your gift is teaching or discernment—use it to speak truth, patiently, boldly.
Kindness in a climate of cruelty. If you have mercy or encouragement, lean into it. The world’s starving for compassion.
Bold leadership when people are afraid to stand. Lead with humility and courage—not for power, but to serve.
Creativity that lifts eyes to God. Your gift for writing, music, art, storytelling—don't waste it trying to go viral. Use it to point people home—to God, our place of rest.
Radical generosity in a time of scarcity. Whether you’re loaded or living simply, give with joy. There’s no small gift if it’s given with love and a heart filled with thanksgiving.
So, let’s go:
Encourage the broken.
Share the Gospel of Salvation with unbelievers.
Give like eternity matters.
Serve like you only have today.
The Danger of Not Using Your God-Given Talents
Let us be reminded of the consequences of not using our talents in advancing God’s kingdom.
In His wrath, God rebuked the idle worker harshly: “You wicked, lazy servant!” (Matthew 25:26). It's a rebuke we don’t want to hear when we come face to face with God.
“But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:29-30 NIV
And the reward for using our talents? God will add more skills to our arsenal, multiply the blessings He has already endowed us with as we serve Him.
As it is written: “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance” (Matthew 25:29 NIV).
My ardent wish for all of us believers is that, when that fateful day arrives, may these be the words we will hear from Him the moment He lays His eyes on us:
“Well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25:23 NIV
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Nina Strehl
