The Ability Which God Giveth

The believer who functions outside of God’s divine resources is destined for a day of frustration and despair. This is so often the testimony of those who spend more time “frustrating God’s grace” (Galatians 2:21), in contrast to those who allow that grace to labor through them (2). God has never, and will not, ask a believer to go beyond his ability, but He does require that each Christian come up to His ability. Every member of the Body of Christ has received from God a particular portion (3), according to the grace of God (4). Therefore, each of us is responsible to become a good steward of that which has been entrusted to our care (5).

God’s desire is that His children would begin to function and minister according to “the ability which God giveth” (I Peter 4:11). An understanding of this privilege will release the believer from the pressure of performing in God’s Kingdom, and afford him the liberty to express what God has given him. Christianity thus becomes not a question of our ability, for God has supplied that, but rather a question of responsibility, or our response to God’s capabilities. Functioning through strength that God has given assures us of the results that God requires, that being “that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:11b). God’s greatest servants therefore, are His most faithful stewards to that which He has given.

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