Using Your Gifts From God

In this Bible study series, I’ve been talking about setting godly goals and being a good steward. But now the question is: How should you use the gifts God gave you?

God has given every believer gifts, not randomly but with a specific purpose. While some gifts are spiritual and others practical, all of them are meant to be used for His glory. Scripture consistently teaches that what we have is not truly our own. We are stewards, entrusted with resources that are meant to honor God, serve others, and advance His kingdom.

When we talk about using our gifts from God, it helps to think in four broad categories:

• Time
• Talent
• Treasure
• Testimony

These gifts touch every part of our lives, and how we use them reveals what we truly value.

Why Using God’s Gifts Matters

The Bible is clear: God does not give gifts without intention. Jesus’s parables repeatedly emphasize responsibility, faithfulness, and accountability. In the Parable of the Talents, the servants who actively used what they were given were praised, while the one who did nothing with his gift was rebuked (Matthew 25).

The lesson is simple but sobering: Unused (or misused) gifts do not honor God.

Paul reminds us:

“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2 KJV)

Faithfulness is shown not by how much we have but by how we use what we’ve been given. Remember the hymn: “Little is much when God is in it.”

The Gift of Time: Using Each Day Wisely

Time is one of the most precious gifts God gives us because it is limited and irreplaceable. Every day, each of us is given the same twenty-four hours. But how we use them varies greatly.

Scripture encourages us to live with awareness and purpose:

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

Using your time wisely doesn’t mean filling every moment with activity. It means prioritizing what matters most: time with God, obedience to His Word, service to others, and rest according to His design.

When we treat time as a gift from God rather than something to waste or hoard, our daily choices begin to reflect eternal values.

The Gift of Talent: Using Your Abilities for God’s Glory

God has uniquely equipped every believer with talents and abilities. These may be natural skills, learned abilities, creative gifts, or spiritual strengths. Some talents are highly visible, while others operate quietly behind the scenes. But all are valuable in God’s eyes.

Peter instructs believers:

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10)

Your talents are not meant for comparison or self-promotion. They are tools for service. Whether you teach, create, organize, encourage, or lead, your abilities are avenues through which God’s grace can reach others.

Faithful use of your talents means offering them to God with humility and consistency, trusting Him with the results.

The Gift of Treasure: Honoring God With Your Resources

Treasure refers to material resources: money, possessions, and financial provision. Scripture speaks often about wealth, not because money is evil (indeed, it can be used for very good things). How we handle our money reveals the condition of our hearts.

Jesus said:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

Using treasure wisely means recognizing God as the ultimate Provider and resisting the temptation to trust in material security. Biblical stewardship calls believers to be generous, content with what we have, and responsible with what we are given.

When we give cheerfully, support God’s work, and meet the needs of others, our treasure becomes a tool for kingdom impact rather than personal control.

The Gift of Testimony: Sharing What God Has Done

Your testimony is the story of how God has worked in your life: your salvation, your growth, your struggles, and His faithfulness through it all. This gift is powerful because it is personal and rooted in God’s grace.

Scripture encourages believers:

“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so.” (Psalm 107:2)

You don’t need a dramatic story to have a meaningful testimony. God uses ordinary lives lived faithfully to point others to Himself. When you share honestly about what God has done, you glorify Him and encourage others.

Your testimony becomes especially impactful when it aligns with how you live. When your words and actions tell the same story, the Light of Jesus’s saving grace shines through you. That can have a powerful impact on the lives of those around you.

Living Faithfully With All Four Gifts

These four gifts—time, talent, treasure, and testimony—are deeply connected. When surrendered to God, they work together to reflect a life of obedience and trust.

Consider asking yourself:

• Am I using my time in ways that honor God?
• Am I offering my talents for service rather than recognition?
• Am I handling my resources with generosity and wisdom?
• Am I willing to share what God has done in my life?

Faithful stewardship isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about daily obedience, guided by the Holy Spirit.

A Foundation for Deeper Study

With these principles in mind, we have the foundation for a deeper look at each gift. In the posts ahead, we’ll explore how to use your time, talent, treasure, and testimony individually, with practical application and biblical insight.

God has entrusted you with these gifts; they are not burdens. This is an invitation to walk closely with Him, to serve others, and to live a fulfilling life that brings Him glory.

“Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV)