Get In Your Element

There is nothing like being in your element because--when in that space--you come across as confident, at peace and fearless. This is why it is important for you to allow your Creator to make clear the gifts He has wired you to express via your existence. Any area of gifting you possess, as shared by Dr. Myles Munroe, is to be understood as territory in which you are meant to dominate. And being armed with this understanding, you can--without apology--focus your time, talent and treasure in maximizing your efficiency through targeted deployment of your unique giftedness.

The abilities you come to understand as GOD-given gifts MUST be nurtured. Doing so refines the rawness of your abilities into a polished presentation of them that sets you apart as one who dominates in your respective area(s) of gifting. But in order to fluently express your gifting at such notable levels, demand MUST be consistently placed on your potential to produce it with excellence. This is the key to surpassing good and becoming exceptional. As you deploy your gift, excellent delivery of it ensures the continued employment of your gift, because people will consequently come looking for you in order to access what you produce when in your element.

So whenever you experience being in your element, thank GOD for each and every opportunity He gives you to function in the capacity for which you have been well-equipped. After all, it is His gift working in and through you to do that which is His will and good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Each opportunity you are afforded testifies of GOD's ability to guide your feet into places which He has already prepared for you to succeed. Therefore, wherever you may find yourself on the journey to greatness, being in your element is always a cause for celebration and thanksgiving. 

Why Your Gift Makes Room For You

In Proverbs 18:16, it reads, "A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men."  As I've heard this verse of scripture both preached and taught throughout my life, what I heard (and in some cases read) explained "a man's gift" here as an individual's innate ability to excel at various exploits.  The idea was that GOD has placed something special within you that is purposed to bring you before people of great influence and renown.  With that said, if you so desired to be great, you would then discover what gifts you possess and cultivate them to the extent that the excellence you embody when exercising them, in turn, becomes a platform upon which you can prosper.  It's a great concept that makes perfect sense!  If I may, however, allow me to share with you a little something extra I just learned regarding this...

As I researched the terms in this particular verse of scripture, I noticed that the word translated as "gift" in Proverbs 18:16 is the Hebrew word "mattan" (pronounced "mat-TAWN").  It means "a present".  In considering this information, the verse immediately took on a whole new meaning to me.  As I see it, when you aim to sit among people of greatness, it is the gift you bring that makes room for you to be in their company.  In other words, time is an extremely valuable resource; and influential people are in no way obligated to give their time to anyone, especially those who do not value it.  Their knowledge, wisdom, and feedback often comes at the expense of the failures, mistakes and setbacks they have experienced along life's way.  Out of respect for all it took for them to ascend from the bottom to their places among the top within their areas of influence, you just can't glean from them FOR NOTHING.

Power Belongs To The Responsible

I was reminded last week of something my good friend and brother Prophet William L. Johnson II shared in a teaching a couple of years ago: "Power belongs to the responsible."  That statement really stood out amongst all he shared in that particular evening of revival, and it arrests my attention even now as I ponder over who power belongs to.  If you have ever taken a Physics course, then you're most likely familiar with the idea that power is the ability to do work.  Not just something that lies dormant, it is a force that enables the empowered entity to fulfill some degree of purpose. Therefore, power is only as valuable as the work it actually accomplishes. It makes no sense to possess power if it results in nothing purposeful. And let's be frank here: irresponsible people lack a sense of purpose.

In the hands of irresponsible people, power becomes abused (or "ABnormally USED").  As my favorite teacher, Dr. Myles Munroe, has said, "Where purpose is NOT known, abuse is inevitable."  Irresponsible people do not seek to understand purpose because it requires too much of them.  And without an understanding of purpose, people are totally clueless as to how they should respond to anything.  Furthermore, if responsibility indeed be the ability to respond, then why should supernatural power be entrusted to those who fail to appropriately exercise the limited ability they've already been given to favorably respond to life's demands?  It makes zero sense whatsoever...

No Longer Pursuing Perfection

Following a recent conversation with friends about virtue, Holy Spirit shared with me that it's unnecessary to worry ourselves with trying to attain perfection if we focus our efforts on being excellent.  This blessed me tremendously because the human experience often leaves us feeling like we're not only imperfect but that it is impossible for us to be perfect.  However, this powerful message from the heart of GOD simply says that our perfection is something we should not even be overly concerned about.  AMAZING, isn't it?!

Most people's understanding of the word "perfect" is that of it describing something (or someone) as being flawless or free of damage.  However, GOD defines "perfection" as a state of maturity.  And only He can bring us into a place of maturity that removes all those damaging qualities we inherited as a result of the curse of sin.  What I've learned, though, that facilitates the maturation process is a spirit of excellence.  When we desire to do everything we possibly can to the best of our ability and activate our faith to produce the highest quality results with the resources available to us, GOD honors that by stepping in and further developing (i.e. maturing) us so we can reflect His nature even more.

Psalm 18:32 says, "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect."  The word "way" here figuratively means "course of life" or "mode of action".  So no longer do we need to stress ourselves out over making ourselves perfect, mature or without blemish.  GOD will take care of all that, as long as we submit ourselves to a life of virtue through excellence.  As we endeavor to live righteously and excel in our own day-to-day roles and responsibilities, we will begin to see the effects of GOD's hand upon our lives.  It's just that simple, and I pray you're encouraged now more than ever to excel in the years to come.