By Ruth O’Neil*
“Your life is God’s gift to you, what you do with it is your gift to God.”
I remember reading this little snippet years ago while on retreat. I remember thinking, if this is true, then what am I doing with the gift God has given me? What do I have to give back to God? The theme of this saying resonated with me then and continues to impact me even today. I do believe my life, and all it contains, is God’s greatest gift to me. So, what am I doing with it?
As we embark upon the stewardship campaign, it is time to reflect upon how thankful we are for our gifts and blessings and as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, our minds seem to naturally gravitate toward counting our blessings. But thinking about what kind of steward we have been with those blessings does not seem to come as naturally.
I invite you to become more aware of the gifts in your life. It is an invitation to take time for counting how you have been blessed. This month and next, we move into the time when we can examine how we have been a blessing for others. We have six weeks to review our lives, identify how we have been a blessing, and what we give back to God, as a result. How have we used the gift of our life? What have we done to multiply this gift?
If you have not yet reflected on the gift of your life, you still have time! This is the perfect season to ponder the gifts and blessings contained in the life God has given you. It does not have to be this long elaborate exercise, simply take a few minutes to reflect on the past year and make a list. Putting pen to paper, list all the people, events, circumstances, material blessings, etc., in your life. Include all the aspects of your life – faith, health, relationships, intellect, and finances. This exercise is super valuable for all of us as it encourages us to focus on the good and positive in our lives instead of our struggles. It also helps us to prepare our hearts for the work of a good steward.
We can examine our lives mindful of the gifts and talents we have been given. Then, we can account for how we have shared them. What have we done with those gifts? Who have we blessed? How will we use those gifts in the future? If we were to stand before Christ tomorrow, what would He say?
Last, but not least, the stewardship campaign season provides a fantastic opportunity to become more aware of Christ’s coming into our lives every day. What am I doing daily to open myself to God’s grace in my life? Do I recognize God working in my life? If not, what is preventing me from fully experiencing God? How can I become more aware of the grace of God in my life? What changes do I need to make?
My life, and all it contains, is God’s gift to me. What I do with it is my gift back to God. Now is an excellent time to reflect on what we have done with the gifts our Lord has given us and how we are using those gifts. In as much as we have blessed others, in as much as we have multiplied the gift of our life, in as much as we have to give back to God, our creator; the one who gave us the gifts in the first place.
Ruth O’Neil a Certified Life and Strengths Strategies Master Coach and People Acuity Specialist, with additional certifications and licensing in, Effective Communication, Marriage and Family, Boundaries, Spiritual Formation, Strengths Strategies for Optimal Living, Strengths Strategies for Optimal Families, and Faith-based Community Building. Ruthoneil.com
