Story found in Matthew 25:14-30 (Similar story found in Luke 19:11-27).

My brother and I reference this parable often. We talk about the gifts we know we have received from God and we ask ourselves if we are using them in the opportunities given. Of all the different versions of talents, loaned money, or bags of gold, I like the ones referencing talents as that stuck out and made sense to me even at a young age. God does not give us gifts and talents to hide away or keep to ourselves, no, they are to be used for his glorious purpose and to further his kingdom. We must focus on the eternal. That is, sharing eternity with our Lord and praising him with other believers.

Take time to thank God daily for your talents and to also ask for opportunities and nudges to use them and learn more about them. Take time to think about if you are sharing your gifts or selfishly and lazily hiding them away. I have found the more I pray for nudges and for the boldness to act on those nudges, the more the Holy Spirit prompts me…unfortunately the opposite is also true.

We have all been given different gifts for different purposes and I fully believe discovering these and using them is one of the best ways to honor God and to live out our time on Earth.

Photo by Ibrahim Rifath on Unsplas