Using your God-given spiritual gift brings personal fulfillment and creates a healthy, thriving environment in a local church (Eph 4:13-16).
Look at v. 13 — the whole body is unified because everyone is beginning to live out their God-given purpose. There is an ever increasing appreciation for the heart of what Christianity really is – loving, holy living, enjoying God, reaching out to others in need …
According to v. 14, being unified in our spiritual maturity in Christ brings stability in a church community. Stability means that a maturing follower of Christ is not shaken by those who throw things at them to cause doubt and confusion. They’re able to discern bad or even harmful teaching as a result of being unified together as a body … as a result of becoming spiritually mature. In v.15, because of our maturity now, we can therefore, speak the truth to each other — in love – which causes us to grow even more as a church community.
Think about conflict … it’s not an if – it’s a when. No one really wants conflict or even to be confronted — and most of us don’t like to tell someone that you’re bothering me – you’re getting on my nerves. So what happens – we bottle it up inside and explode on others who have nothing to do with the situation. But … what if we did something different … what if when we have conflict with each other – we learn to speak the truth of how we feel - but do it by “care” fronting - not confronting … Carefronting is being honest and real about how you’re feeling - but doing it in humility and putting the other person’s feelings ahead of my own … What if we approached each other like this - in a healthy way? What do you think would happen in the body of Christ? I think there would be unity and love … I think gossiping … exploding on others about someone who may have hurt you – would stop. A positive, healthy sense of unity would be preserved … and foster in a church.
Then, look at v.16 – … from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped … … when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. …
Everything in the human body is useful and plays some key role. Every part contributes to the health and beauty of the body. No muscle is useless, no nerve is useless, no artery or vain is useless … What would happen if one part of the body stopped functioning? The whole body may suffer. It’s the same with us — we are all vital … serving is a team effort … as we begin to serve in our area of giftedness - we begin to experience the purpose that God has given us in the body of Christ.
Your spiritual gifts determine how God wants you to serve Him. Once you understand what your spiritual gift is, that was given to you the moment you were saved, it answers a lot of questions, like “What’s God’s will for my life?”, “What does He want me to do now that I’m a Christian?”, “What should be my ministry?”, “How should I spend my time?”, “Where should I focus my life?”, “What is God’s will and purpose and plan for me?” “What kind of vocation would be best for me?” All of these factors are answered when you understand your gift. Every Christian is called to serve the cause of Christ, but your spiritual gift shows how you particularly are to serve Him. If you’re gifted in organizing then God wants you to be an organizer. If your gifted in teaching then you need to be a teacher. If you’re gifted in encouraging others then you ought to be a small group leader. If you’re gifted in reaching non Christians you ought to be an evangelist.
Whatever you’re gifted in determines how you’re to use your life for God. This is where personal fulfillment and genuine happiness are found. Happiness and fulfillment in life come from investing the resources that God has given us in order to do what He has uniquely wired us to do. That’s the W – in WIRED … joining God in His work in this world by using our spiritual gifts for Him and others.