
22 Aug, 2025 Using our gifts for God’s glory
Opinion/Resources/Teen Perspective
By Teen Opinion Contributor Maggie Verdught
Photo: Deposit
In a world that puts its identity in stuff and self, it may seem conceited to become introspective and realize our own gifts and talents.
However, that is far from the truth! One of the beauties of being made in the image of God is that each human being reflects something different about Him in their hobbies and work. For example, you may be extremely creative and enjoy making art for His glory. This reflects God’s character– He is the artistic Creator! As an image-bearer of God, you can rejoice in your abilities to glorify Him in this way.
In this article, I want to highlight how God uses the gifts He has given us, for our good and His glory.
Satan’s Lies
Satan is a liar. The Bible warns us, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He tries to corrupt these good gifts that God has given us because we live in a sinful and broken world. Here are some examples of lies to watch out for!
- You will never achieve your dreams of doing ____ with the gift God gave you,
- You don’t have to work hard at anything; you can run on pure talent alone to be successful,
- Do what YOU want– Choose your own path in life,
- Using your talents/gifts to become more wealthy, powerful, famous, or well-liked is the most important thing,
- God doesn’t want you to chase your dreams.
Some of these lies sound somewhat truthful. However, the Devil loves to mix his lies with little bits of truth, so that we may swallow them and fully believe what he says. The more we tell ourselves these lies about God’s will for us and our giftings, the more weakened we become for God.
If Satan can put us on a path towards selfishness and sin, we become less useful for God’s purposes! God wants to use us for His glory, and oftentimes that includes using the gifts He has given us. The most fulfilling work we do is for God. We must combat these lies in order to glorify Him more fully and live joyfully!
God’s Gifts
Let’s debunk these lies of the Devil and stand firm on God’s Word. What does God say about these lies? What is the truth?
- God’s plan for you always is ultimately good. You may not reach a specific dream that you have for yourself, but if you put your trust in the Lord, He will use your gifts to do things for His glory that you could have never dreamed of!
- God calls us to work hard at everything we do, even if talent is all we need to ‘be successful.’ Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ,”
- God calls us to follow His path for our life, and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). What we want to do is not always right or good – God’s way is always best! “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12),
- The most important thing is to glorify God in all that we do, including how we use our gifts and talents,
- It is not bad or wrong to have dreams for the future. But God wants us to surrender our dreams to Him, knowing that if we follow Him, His way will be best for us in the end.
You can see clearly here that God’s way is best and our gifts are not meant to be used for selfish human desires, although there is much temptation to do so. The truth sets one free (John 8:32), and when we embrace our talents for God’s glory, He can do great things through us.
Sometimes it may not seem big or important, but God doesn’t think so. That reminds me of a VeggieTales episode, actually – Larry gets a question from a girl who doesn’t feel like her talents are special or significant. Throughout the episode, of course (it’s called “Dave and the Giant Pickle,” aka the story of David and Goliath), we learn the truth! It doesn’t matter how small your gift or calling may seem: what matters most is that you are seeking the Lord, and glorifying Him. This is what makes God happy!
Our Response
The Bible says that God delights in us, as we are His children and beloved creation. God didn’t have to make us as beautiful, intricate, and unique as He did!
Yet each of us has been given special gifts and talents that we can use to praise and glorify our heavenly Father. How can we take this knowledge and apply it to daily life? Well, there are some practical steps. One example is when you are complimented on something. Will you use that moment to worship God, or let yourself be the star of the show? God deserves all the glory, not us! This leads into another practical aspect of our response, and that is thankfulness. Each day is an opportunity to use what God has given us – to grow, learn, and experience Himself. With continual thankfulness for God’s gifts to us, we remind ourselves of who God is, thereby giving Him glory in the process. These small practical steps can make the biggest difference in our lives. We must wholeheartedly surrender ourselves to what God wants for us, even in the difficulties. His plan is always best.
Closing
I want to close this article with an awesome saying from Veggietales: “God made you special, and He loves you very much!”
Have a blessed week!!
Psalm 86:12
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
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The opinions in this article are specific to its author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Counter Culture Mom team.
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Maggie VerDught is a high school student who enjoys learning about culture, news, and politics.
She is passionate about sharing the truth, especially with her generation. Maggie loves to run, read, and write poetry in her spare time.
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