S.H.A.P.E. Notes

1cor 12:6 “God works through different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purpose through them all.”

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Read 1 corinthians 12

Read Romans 12

God has given us gifts to serve others - they are to be used in love to benefit others.  I would encourage you to take a spiritual gifts test.  The only way to grow in your gift and discover you gifts is to step out and serve.

HEART

What tugs at your emotional strings?  Is it poverty, injustice, racism, abuse, divorce, etc.  The goal is to identify what you are passionate.  What you want to see changed in this world.  God has put that passion in your heart for a reason.

ABILITIES

We all have abilities that come pretty natural to us.  

Whether it is designing, building, speaking, organizing, music, etc.  What are you abilities?  

PERSONALITY
How you relate to others:
Outgoing------------------X------------Reserved
Self-Expressive -------X-------Self-Controlled
Cooperative------X------Competitive
How your relate to opportunities:
High Risk ------X------Low Risk
People Driven -----X-----Project Driven
Follow----X-----Lead
Team----X-----Solo
Routine----X-----Variety

EXPERIENCES
2 corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Story of Joseph Gen 37-50
Betrayed by brothers ---> Rose to become 2nd most powerful in Egypt
Sold into slavery ----> Saved the lives of millions during famine
Thrown into prison -----> Never forgot that God was in Control

Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

STRENGTHS

We are taught that we are all to be really well rounded people.  People with no weaknesses.  The reality is that you will never become great at what you are weak at - you may become descent.  You will grow the most in the areas of your strengths.  When you bring the report card home maybe you have 5 A's and a D.  Where do we want to focus our energies?  You guessed it the D.  Maybe we need to start paying attention to what we are strong at and focus our time in those areas.

Throughout the week identify the times when you felt energized doing something.  Where time flew by.  Then write it down whatever you were doing.  Start to see patterns, be specific.

Now you can be good at something and it not be a strength.  Weakness is anything you do that after doing it you feel drained.  Not just because of physical exhaustion - you feel drained.

8 out of 10 people don't like what they do and don't use there strengths daily.