“Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (GNT)

Do you know what purpose God created you for? Do you know what your destiny is? Part of understanding your purpose is recognizing the gifts God has given you to use.

These gifts are part of the cards you’re dealt in life. They include the things you can’t control, like who your parents are, where you were born, and your background. They also include your SHAPE—your spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences. These are the things that make you uniquely you.

You’re responsible for making the most of these God-given gifts. But you’re not responsible for the gifts God didn’t give you. In other words, if you are not artistically gifted, you are not expected to paint pictures like Rembrandt. If you’re not mechanically minded, God likely won’t call you to bless your elderly neighbor with oil changes.

But God does expect you to use your own gifts for the good of others: “Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God” (1 Peter 4:10 GNT).

When you get to heaven, God isn’t going to compare you with anyone else, but he will compare you with yourself. What did you do with what you were given? What could you have done if you had trusted God a little bit more? Romans 14:12 says, “Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (NIV).

The Old Testament tells the story of Esther, a Hebrew woman who became queen and rescued her people. She had three assets that God gave her to fulfill her destiny. She was intelligent, was physically beautiful, and had an engaging personality. Because of these qualities, “Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. . . . She won [the king’s] favor and approval . . . So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen” (Esther 2:15, 17 NIV).

God gave Esther specific gifts for a purpose. In the same way, God has given you gifts for a purpose. And just like Esther, you have a responsibility to be a good steward of those gifts—not for selfish uses but for the good of others.

God used Esther’s gifts to save the Hebrew people from a potentially murderous king. How might God use your gifts to benefit other people?