Finding your S.H.A.P.E.
Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
This week, we were challenged to find your S.H.A.P.E. And what may that be? You wonder...
The Ministry Vitals website informs us that:
SHAPE is a framework developed by Rick Warren at Saddleback Church in California and popularized through The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church. The idea is that God has shaped each person for a specific kind of service, and that you can discover it by looking at five things about yourself:
- Spiritual gifts
- Heart
- Abilities
- Personality
- Experiences
So, this Sunday, at Powerhouse Aminjikarai, we were challenged to look at these 5 aspects and ask ourselves – what is my SHAPE?
We went through each of the above letters and understood what each one of them meant.
We were challenged to ask ourselves – What makes me upset? What are some of the things that I just can’t stand to watch? What are the gaps that I see around me?
By answering the above questions, many times, we realise that God places certain passions and even dislikes in our heart so that we ‘GET UP’ (remember last week’s sermon?) and do something about it!
We heard this beautiful quote:
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.
— Frederick Buechner
What a notion! That I can be deeply fulfilled and glad, WHILE meeting the deep, dark hunger around me. Of course, we cannot do this by our own strength, but through the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the service yesterday, we were also encouraged not to be afraid. In our Bible Recap readings for the week, we had read from Haggai 2:4-5, which encourages us “‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’”
So, even if God calls you out of your comfort zone – do not fear. He is with you! He is God Emmanuel. Here with us. Today. Now.
Do not fear.
Go and find your SHAPE!
Some resources taken from the Saddleback Church website (You can click on each of the following to take a test):
S- Spiritual Gifts Test
H- Discovering Your Heartbeat
A- Discover your Abilities
P- My Personality and Serving Style
E- My Experiences
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