Discover How God Created You to Shine!

God made you to shine—to do what you love and what you’re good at doing. You shine when you spend your life doing the things God gave you a unique heart to do.

Proverbs 27:19 says, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person” (NLT).

Your heart is what makes you, you. It includes your interests, desires, dreams, and ambitions—the things that motivate you to get up in the morning. Your heart, the Bible tells us, affects everything you say, do, and feel.

In the same way that your thumbprint is unique, your God-given heart also is unique. Some tasks energize you, while others leave you flat. Some ideas fascinate you, while others bore you to tears. God gave each of us a different emotional heartbeat. That way everything that needs to get done in the world gets done.

The Bible says, “It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him” (Philippians 2:13 GW). God made you to be you. He doesn’t want you to be interested in stuff other people are interested in. He wants you interested in the stuff you are interested in. He takes pleasure in watching you enjoy his creation.

How do you know what kind of heart God gave you?

Pay attention as you go about your daily life—your work, your relationships, your hobbies, and your ministry. When you’re doing what God has shaped you to do, two things happen:

First, you enjoy it. You get pleasure and satisfaction in the things that God wired you to do. You delight in them!

Second, you’re good at it. When you have a heart for doing something, you’re creative, productive, and effective. The secret of an effective life is simply this: Do what you love to do. People are rarely successful at things they hate doing. Why are top athletes so good at their sport? Because they love doing it. It is a passion for them.

That word “passion” is another word for heart. You’re not going to accomplish much in life unless you’re passionate about it. Moses was passionate about setting his people free from Egyptian bondage, and the apostle Paul was passionate about sharing the Good News with everybody in the world.

God made you to shine like a light in the world. He doesn’t want you to cover up your passions, your heart, or your interests. They bring him pleasure.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV). Your good deeds are those things God made you to do. When people become who God made them to be, it draws others to God and brings him glory.

If you haven’t already gotten your SHAPE Bible study, I’d like to send you a copy to help you discover more about the unique ways God has created you to shine. It’s my thanks for your gift to help more people embrace their God-given purpose through Daily Hope.

Request your copy when you give—and thank you for your partnership!