“But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body” (1 Corinthians 12:18-20 NLT).
It is the Lord that gives out spiritual gifts to those who have believed and received Jesus. He gives them to each according to His will, so that the local church has every spiritual gift it needs to function and fulfill His commission. Yet, many churches seem to limp along as if missing some key part. As a result, little growth is seen, disunity prevails, and members fail to care for one another.
Has the Lord, who has “put the body together” (24), failed to give the church a necessary gift? Certainly not. The problem is that many members of the body are not putting their spiritual gifting to use in the church. Some because of ignorance or immaturity. Others because of a lack of spiritual zeal or some distracting or disabling sin area.
Church members often come to the pastor suggesting the church needs this missing ministry or that unmet service. Could it be that the person who saw the need is the one that the Lord has gifted and called to fulfill it? After all, the church is us! It’s the people, not the steeple! If the church is missing something, could it be because someone in the church isn’t exercising the gift and calling God gave them?
Do you know why the Lord has put you in the local body of Christ? Are you fulfilling His purpose for your life in a way that makes for harmony in the church and cares for others? If the church is missing some ministry, could it be because you are not exercising the gift and called God has given you?
PRAYER: Dear Father, You have saved us and adopted us into Your family, so that we are one body. And You have gifted each of us as members of Christ’s body with certain important functions. Help us to work together for Your purpose, being empowered by Your Spirit to carry out the calling You have on our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.