Useful or Useless

 

Philemon 1:11 "Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me."

In this passage of scripture Paul is talking about Onesimus. Onesimus was one of Philemon's slaves who escaped to Rome. I believe that it was God's plan that Onesimus escaped to Rome, the place that Paul was being held prisoner. God used Paul to lead Onesimus to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. 

Paul referred to Onesimus as his son, because he thought of each person that he led to salvation in Jesus Christ as his children. When we are saved we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible refers to Christians as the body of Christ, a family. (1Corinthians 12:27)

Paul referred to Onesimus as formerly being useless, then he became useful. What he meant by this was he was useless because he didn't have faith in Jesus Christ yet. So, he wasn't teaching others about Jesus. After Onesimus was saved, he became useful because he was now able to teach others about the message of Jesus Christ.

God has a purpose for your life. God has gifted you with skills and natural talents. When you are saved He will also give you spiritual gifts, through his Holy Spirit. It is up to you to decide if you will be useful to others with each of your skills, talents and spiritual gifts, that God has given to you. Or if you let those skills, talents and gifts lay dormant and become useless. 

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, and to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues. All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines."

It takes time to learn what your spiritual gifts are, and how to use each gift. Some gifts you will know right away, others will take some time to manifest. Pray and ask God to direct you in the right path to find out what your gifts are, and how to use them. 

Romans 12:4-6 "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us..." 

Try not to compare yourself with other people. For example, if a friend has the gift of healing, don't allow yourself to think you aren't as important or doing very much for the Lord if your gift is faith. Each gift is important. Just as the passage in Romans 12:4-6 states, God gives gifts to each of His children to work together as one body. The body of Christ. 

You are loved by God your creator. He wants you to live a life full of peace, joy and love. He has given you the skills, talents and spiritual gifts that He has chosen just for you. Pray for God to help you learn what your spiritual gifts are, and how to use them. Pray and ask that he helps you to be useful with your gifts and talents and not useless.