I write about Stuff

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” —James 4:17

Think for a moment about receiving a gift from someone. Why might you tuck it away in a drawer or leave it unopened on a shelf? Maybe it isn’t practical. Maybe it doesn’t suit your taste. Maybe you feel unworthy of it. Or perhaps your relationship with the giver is strained, and the gift feels awkward to accept.

Now shift that question to a deeper level: Why might you not use a gift God has given you? Suddenly the excuses feel thinner, don’t they? Because unlike human gifts, God’s gifts are never mismatched, never impractical, never accidental. They are chosen with intention, crafted with care, and placed within us for a purpose.

Peter reminds us of this truth: “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” God does not give random gifts. He gives purposeful ones. He knows your personality, your strengths, your weaknesses, your story, your wounds, your passions — and He shapes a spiritual gift that fits you perfectly. It is exactly your size, exactly your style, exactly what He intends to use to bless others through you.

You may not feel deserving of such a gift. But none of us deserves anything from God. That is the beauty of grace. God gives because He is generous, not because we are worthy. And when we embrace the gifts He gives, we deepen our relationship with Him. We learn to trust Him, to depend on Him, and to join Him in His work.

James adds a sobering layer to this truth: “It is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” In other words, ignoring your spiritual gift is not simply a missed opportunity — it is disobedience. God has entrusted something to you that is meant to bless others. When you withhold it, you withhold His blessing from the people who need it.

Think of the people closest to you — your spouse, your children, your friends, your church family. You would never intentionally neglect them. Yet when we fail to use our spiritual gifts, that is exactly what we do. We deprive the body of Christ of something God designed us to contribute.

Paul paints a vivid picture of this in Romans 12: “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body… we all belong to each other.” The Christian life is not a solo journey. It is a shared calling. Just as the human body relies on each part to function well, the church relies on each believer to use their God‑given gifts. Eyes cannot replace ears. Hands cannot replace feet. Every part matters. Every part is needed.

Paul continues this imagery in 1 Corinthians 12, reminding us that God Himself arranges the parts of the body exactly as He desires. Your gift is not random. It is intentional. It is placed within you because God has a specific role for you to play — a role no one else can fill in quite the same way.

When you use your gift, you strengthen the church. You encourage others. You glorify God. You participate in His mission. And you experience the joy of being exactly where He wants you to be.

But when you neglect your gift, the whole body feels the absence. Something God intended to happen through you goes undone. Someone God intended to bless through you goes unblessed. A need God equipped you to meet goes unmet.

This is why James’s words matter so deeply. Knowing what God has called you to do — and choosing not to do it — is not a small thing. It is a spiritual responsibility.

So what should you do?

Begin by asking God to reveal your gift. He delights in answering that prayer. Pay attention to what energizes you, what burdens you, what others affirm in you. Look for the places where your passion intersects with God’s purposes. Seek counsel from trusted believers. Study Scripture. And pray — consistently, humbly, expectantly.

Then, when God shows you your gift, use it. Use it boldly. Use it joyfully. Use it faithfully. Use it for His glory and for the good of others.

God has given you a gift. Not to hide. Not to ignore. But to use.

And when you do, the body of Christ becomes stronger, your faith becomes deeper, and God’s grace flows through you in ways you never imagined.