2 Timothy 2:25 The Lord’s servant must gently teach those who do not agree with him.
In a world filled with humans fighting for the upper hand using insults and clever arguments, you choose to exhibit the power of peace instead.
You stand out as a beacon of light to those who are lost in a swirling sea of conflict. You are a peacemaker.
The Spirit of God enables you to create a safe space in which differences can be addressed and forgiveness can flow. You are able to make peace when there is conflict and hold the line when peace starts to slip away.
Others rely on your logical input when settling a dispute or searching for a reasonable compromise. As you walk in the peace of Christ, which passes all understanding, you are able to guide others toward common goals.
The peace you bring to a situation is often the glue which repairs broken relationships and holds organizations together.
It is one of your most intriguing gifts, and even you don’t know exactly how it works. All you know is, you are delighted to see peace win, and you are thrilled to be a part of making it happen.
John 2:24 But Jesus did not trust Himself to them, because He knew what was in their hearts.
You do not trust others easily or quickly. You believe that trust must be earned, and it can only happen over time. It took you a long time to trust Christ, and you often struggle to believe.
Fortunately, He understands trust issues better than you do. Therefore, He patiently continues, time after time, to alleviate your doubts and prove Himself to be true.
Your gift of discernment and your trust-hesitancy serve you well as a protective force- field in your faith based service.
You are able to reach out and serve those who are untrustworthy, in ministries where a more trusting person might fall victim to their dishonest schemes.
You do not reject those who can’t be trusted, but rather, you accept and love them anyway.
Jesus ministered to the outcasts and the undesirables, yet He did not trust them all. He was still able to minister to them, because He had the spiritual gift of discernment. You too have this gift. You may have thought it was a flaw in your personality. But, based on your birthday verse, this attribute is actually a Christ-like trait which may be a valuable clue in discovering your destiny.
Daniel 2:22 He makes known the secrets that are deep and hidden. He knows what is hidden in darkness and light lives within him.
Many of the good things you do are done in secret. You are not boastful or arrogant about your charitable contributions or personal sacrifices.
You help others in ways they may never realize. You attend to the needs of your family and community without recognition or fanfare.
Sometimes you feel as if your efforts are unappreciated or even unwanted. There are times you believe you may be wasting your time and energy because you can’t see the fruits of your labor.
Thankfully, you have the Word of God and His wonderful creation to remind you that a seed hidden in the darkness is a harvest waiting to happen.
Seeds planted in soil remain unseen during the germination phase. In the dark, a seed breaks open and new life is formed. There is a waiting time before the shoot appears. There is another waiting time before the harvest comes.
In the same way, your good works and loving efforts may be often hidden in the dark for a time, but this doesn’t mean they remain unfruitful.
When the time is right, God brings your results into the light, much like the tiny plant which emerges from the dark soil. Your random acts of kindness and quiet loving gestures are no longer hidden in the darkness. The results become visible and each tiny sprout holds the promise of a bountiful harvest.
You may not always receive human recognition or praise for the contributions you make. Sometimes your good intentions may even be misunderstood. But God knows what is in your heart and He promises that someday you will enjoy a harvest which far exceeds your expectations.
1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, for Christ Himself left you an example, so that you would follow in His steps.
A solid connection to the Divine is the foundation of your emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. You sense a deep longing for the companionship you left behind when you entered the human realm.
You have been chosen by God to accomplish specific assignments on this earth. Your call is to change the course of history in both ordinary and extraordinary measures.
You were called to exhibit the grace of God. You have been chosen to speak, write, and live in a way that delivers light in the face of darkness, and hope in the face of despair.
You know that it is the Creator’s desire that all of His children know the safety and security found in the bonds of His unconditional love. You share that love through your everyday life experiences and thus prove that His decision to call you was a good one!
Knowing that God speaks to His children in all sorts of unique ways, we suddenly recognized His voice speaking to us from the creativity of writers and actors on a movie screen. We identified with the heroes. We saw ourselves playing the role assigned to us by the God of the Galaxies. We became aware in a way unlike ever before that we were on a mission that would influence millions, change the course of history, and generate spiritual wavelengths to echo into caverns of the future.
We looked back over our life and realized that our destiny had been there all along and every step of the journey was preparation for the main event.
But still we questioned whether we could actually fulfill our mission. We knew our impulsive nature had caused us to make some terribly bad choices in the past, so we wondered if it was God’s call or just a delusion of grandeur. The thought of God calling us to something of eternal magnitude seemed a little ridiculous and really, really crazy.
We had to question whether our passionate reaction to the prospect of hearing this divine call was our love for Him or our own search for significance?
It was not enough for us to simply stop using mind or mood-altering substances. We needed something more significant. We began to suspect that our primary purpose in life was not simply to stay clean and sober. While sobriety was an honorable ambition, and one we had desired deeply for many years, we found that mere sobriety fell woefully short of the abundant life promised by Jesus. We began to believe that our truepurpose was to discover the reason for our existence.
We came to realize that sobriety was not the end goal. As it turned out, sobriety was simply a way of life we had grown to prefer, since clarity of mind was beneficial in our quest for true purpose...
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4
When caught up in a moment of testing, we must resist letting our feelings and circumstances serve as a litmus test for our faith. It is not healthy, nor is it accurate.
Tests are for the express purpose of developing patience. Whether the tests come from internal or external forces, they have a purpose. Some of the tests we face are due to our own weaknesses and might easily become our demise, but even then, God always has a better plan. Any test that activates patience is beneficial. Guilt and blame serve no purpose.
Patience tells us that tests are only temporary. Patience tells us that God is doing a good work in us, and He will complete it. Patience tells us not to judge our walk by one random stumble. Patience keeps us steady as we wait for the storm to pass.
It is patience that we lack when we throw up our hands and give up. It is patience that we lack when we question our progress. It is patience that will get us to the finish line. It is patience that will help us be gentle with ourselves.
Then the Lord God planted a garden in the East, in a place called Eden. He put the man He had formed into that garden. Genesis 2:8
You enjoy a close bond with nature and find peace in the Great Creation. You have discovered the elusive tranquility that many others seek, by walking in harmony with the earth and its inhabitants.
You enjoy tending gardens and working with plants. You also find a deep sense of satisfaction from sharing your harvest to nourish others. You delight in feeding birds, animals, and fellow human beings.
Growing plants from seed and watching them mature into life-sustaining trophies of God’s goodness, is an assignment you willingly accept.
To you, the privilege of sharing the abundance of your harvest is one of life’s most enjoyable experiences.
You function in harmony with the earth, finding both spiritual and physical nourishment from this connection to the Creator.
1 Corinthians 2:7 I speak God’s secret wisdom, which He has kept hidden. God planned this wisdom for our glory before the world began.
The secret wisdom of God’s Kingdom is revealed in nature. Many may find it difficult to comprehend the magnitude of what they are witnessing, when viewing a starry night or a blazing sunrise. However, you are fully aware that each element of nature contains vital information about your Creator.
You have a persistent drive to push past surface layer facts to discover the deeper secrets hidden behind them. You have a curious mind which seeks to comprehend the secrets of God concealed in the world around you.
You remain keenly aware that all understanding comes from the Creator, and you derive great pleasure discovering the intimate secrets of His character revealed in the beauty of nature.
You deeply and fully appreciate a belief in intelligent design. Profound revelations that you encounter, while observing the world around you, unlocks a supernatural enlightenment which reaches far beyond human understanding.
You are enamored by the evidence of God sprinkled throughout the universe. You possess great wisdom and understanding when sifting through the clues to uncover hidden mysteries.
As each layer is peeled back, through scientific research and discovery, the wonder of the universe reveals the magnitude of its Creator.
You easily make the connection between Creator and Creation. You have been given a gift of divine understanding which enables you to live life in both the natural and supernatural, simultaneously.
A life of dual loyalties to both the scientific and religious communities is rarely an easy path to walk. These two entities are often perceived to be in opposition to each other.
However, you have the gift of divine wisdom, so you perceive it much differently. You find insurmountable evidence to the contrary.
You see a spectacular harmony between both the spiritual and the scientific realms. You can quickly detect synchronized cooperation between these two dimensions and are equally comfortable in both worlds.
This is an exciting lifestyle that few can understand. You comprehend it well because it has been your reality for as long as you can remember.
1 John 2:6 Whoever says that God lives in him must live as Jesus lived.
The story of what God has done in your life is a profound message of hope which will change lives. It cannot be kept quiet. It is not meant to remain private.
The exhibition of Jesus’ healing, deliverance, and renewal in your life will be shared as a lasting legacy long after your days in the human realm of space and time have ended.
Not only are you a living display of grace, through your kindness and compassion, you are carrying the teachings of Christ within your own being.
Your message from God is one of forgiveness, love, and empathy for those who struggle.
God has revealed this to you in such a personal way; it seems as if it is simply part of your personality.
Your ability to follow the unique level of Christ’s teaching is a special gift that not many possess. Despite numerous wrongs done to you, forgiveness and the refusal to carry a grudge, is the deliberate response you choose.
The teaching and actions of Jesus concerning forgiveness are part of the mysterious message of truth that God has called you to communicate to his hurting children. His message of mercy is one that most people find difficult to receive until they see it in action.
You are given amazing opportunities to share this mysterious message of the healing power of forgiveness with those who seek what you have found.
Your living example of Jesus’ teachings speak volumes to those who interact with you during your allotted time on this planet.
Additionally, your written words will influence those you never meet. As a lasting legacy, your writings will offer God-given insights to those who enter the human realm long after you have lived out your days.