Gift Nourishment
Photo taken by Zoe Shaw
Ok! Let’s just jump straight to the point. For those who are familiar with my blog, you know that God placed Imani Says on my heart almost 3 years ago. I fought with Him about it for months before I finally launched in April 2020. I was so excited when I finally jumped in. Nervous? Absolutely. But happy, nonetheless. I pushed out 3 great posts and was like, “AYYYEEE!!” I was really feelin’ myself.
You know what happened next?
Yep, you may have guessed it: I got stagnant. I couldn’t “come up with” anything to write about. I would start a post and leave it unfinished because I just didn’t know what to say. Seriously, I have like 7 unfinished posts.
Doubt started creeping in. I started to worry about what I would have to write about week after week.
If I can be honest, I became a little bitter towards God. I felt like I was being teased; a failure because I, once again, started something and couldn’t see it through. I gave up despite this nagging urge that this was something God was truly instructing me to do. I began to justify my desire to throw in the towel with this thought-
“If God gave it to me and if He is the one who asked me to do this, it should come naturally to me.”
No, if God gave it to me, that means He wants me to use it to bless others. He planted the seed, but it was up to me to give it sunlight, provide the water and speak life over this gift daily.
Over the last year and a half, God has given me 2 reminders concerning our gifts that I want to share with you all:
1. If someone gifts uswith a plant, we can’t just sit it by the window and not tend to it. Is the sunlight good for the plant? Of course. But that’s not all it needs. It needs to be watered, repotted, and sometimes even talked to in order to keep thriving and growing.
This same concept applies to our God-given gifts. Yes, He gave them to us freely, but what we DO with them matters. How we tend to them matters. How we cultivate them matters. Oh, you have a gift of writing? Go sign up for that free writing course your favorite influencer is facilitating; incorporate daily journaling to get into the routine of getting articulating your thoughts. Oh, you have a gift of design? Go sign up for that graphic design master class that keeps coming across your IG feed.
2. We don’t have to “come up” with anything. We tend to take what God gives us then just take off with it without consulting with Him. We’re like, “Ok thanks Big G…I got it from here.” As if we’re doing HIM a favor (talk about pride, right?) WRONG! Then we get “stuck”, or we can’t reach the people we are meant to reach. THEN we get frustrated and put it down and leave it, as if God “did us wrong” or something. Hey sis (and yes, I’m talking to me too), how about you pick that thing back up and resubmit your gift to God. He’s waiting for you and WANTS to use you!!
So, we’re going to try this thing again. This time, I’m challenging myself to keep these reminders at the forefront. I truly encourage you to do the same. As long as we continue walking with Him and seeking revelation and wisdom as it relates to what God has given us, we will flourish.
If you were seeking confirmation, this is it.
