What are your strengths?

This is one of those leadership questions that comes at us from time to time. Typically we think of strengths as those activities we are good at or do well. But we all know there are some activities that we do well but suck the very life out of us leaving us feeling cold and dried up inside. What is a strength? Marcus Buckingham a “leadership guru” has a different take on strengths. He defines a strength as, “an activity that makes you strong.”

There are three signs of strengths to look for as you consider say last week from Marcus Buckingham. The first is a yearning quality. Which activities do you look forward to doing? Secondly, is a natural inquisitiveness? Which activities do you keep learning from or take no effort to occupy your mind or spark your creativity and imagination? The third sign is a restorative quality. This activity leaves you feeling strong and magnificent. Yes, you may be tired from the task but you feel restored, accomplished, strong, capable yes, magnificent (in a humble way or not so humbly).

Activities that you have a lot of appetite for but little to no ability at are called…hobbies. A hobby is an activity that no one pays you to do or no one would pay you for because you stink at it BUT love it. You know those folks who sing every time at karaoke but should not! It’s a hobby for them. They need to keep their day job!

What does this have to do with spiritual things?

Some of those faith practices we don’t do well with and leave us feeling dry. Well, it is the difference between religion and relationship. In a religion we are to accomplish a set of spiritual practices. We go to church, pray, study, serve, meditate, journal completing all or one of the tasks but end up empty and cold. Not really any different than when we started. In a relationship we look for those activities that connect us to God and HIS Presence. Those will make us feel strong and connected.

Consider reading the Bible. In a religion we read the Bible to learn what to do. In a relationship we read to get to know God. IN a religion prayer is a list of requests and confessions to appease the Creator. In a relationship it is a conversation between friends with requests and instruction, laughter and just hanging out. Meditation in a religion is a structured ritual to purify your mind by erasing the problems of the day. In a relationship meditation is a concentrated act of focus on God who is the solution to problems and a friend who never leaves you.

So we get the need for a relationship but let’s face it not all of those activities are strengths. It may be tough for you to pray more than two minutes or two seconds. You try but fail and feel defeated. How about writing them out as a letter. You may have tried to journal (like me) and quit (like me) on multiple occasions. Maybe your prayer needs to include action or sound and not words. Those things make you feel strong. Reading the bible maybe tedious and you nod off before you know it. What about the audio Bible or the YouVerson app of the Bible that will read selected translations to you?

The point is our strength comes from the Lord in a relationship WITH Him not a religion OF Him.

Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 4:6 HCSB

¹⁰ Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Ephesians 9:10 TLB 

 Look for those activities of faith that are your strengths. Those activities that make you feel strong, connected to the Lord and His Spirit within you. Those are your strengths. Play to them and let the others rest beside your path.

In HIS Service and Yours,

Bro G