Unlocking Your God-Given Talents for True Success

Recognizing and Using Your Talents

Stephen opens the episode with a gentle yet encouraging reminder of the unique set of skills and talents gifted to each of us at birth. These aren’t just physical abilities but spiritual currencies that can enhance our potential and guide us through life, often without relying on material wealth. God has already invested in each of us, and it’s up to us to recognize that investment and put it to good use.

Acknowledging God’s Investment

From the moment you were born, God entrusted you with talents. Your talent might be as simple as the tone of your voice and the way you speak, or it could be the gift of creation—whether through art, music, or design. These are spiritual currencies meant to open doors and create opportunities. Each God-given talent holds world-changing potential. The real tragedy is going through life without realizing your purpose, ignoring the valuable resources you've been given. Even worse is knowing your talent and calling but running from it due to fear of failure—or perhaps even fear of success.

Recognizing Your Value

Have you taken the time to recognize what you bring to the table? Everyone has potential from birth, and it's crucial to understand the purpose of this spiritual currency. Talents were given with the expectation that they would be used and multiplied through action, service, and involvement in the community. The gifts entrusted to you by God Himself are not just for your benefit, but for the benefit of those around you. Each gift, as it is sharpened, is meant to advance the Kingdom of Heaven and fulfill the mission that Yeshua left us to do. He counted you worthy to be used for His glory. Will you value His gifting and multiply those talents, or will you bury them as the wicked and lazy servant did in the parable? Ultimately, you choose what to do with what has been entrusted to you.

The Importance of Systems

Success isn’t just about setting goals; it’s about having systems in place to achieve them. The Parable of the Talents illustrates that the servants who multiplied their talents had not just a goal but a system to reach it. What systems have you created that effectively work for you? Whether it’s getting out of debt or achieving personal growth, having a plan and sticking to it is essential.

Learning from the Master

Pride and ego often hinder us from seeking clarity. We sometimes assume we can figure everything out on our own, but there’s great value in seeking understanding from others—and, more importantly, in seeking understanding from the Master. In the Parable of the Talents, we recognize Yeshua as the Master who has departed on a journey but will soon return. A successful servant understands their master’s expectations and creates a plan to meet them. This concept applies to every area of life and every relationship, from parent to child, student to teacher, employee to employer, and beyond. First, gain a full understanding of what is expected of you, and then develop a strategy to meet those expectations.

Dangers of Comparison

Comparison can be a significant barrier to realizing your potential. The servant who buried his talent did so out of fear and a mindset of comparison. He focused on what others had rather than on what he had been given, leading him to make poor decisions. While comparison can be beneficial when it motivates us to learn from others, it becomes destructive when it paralyzes us with fear or dissatisfaction.

Comparison is often involuntary, starting with recognizing subtle differences between yourself and someone else, but quickly veering into a dangerous space where it hinders your ability to achieve success. This can happen when you painfully realize what might be lacking in your own life compared to someone else’s. Thoughts like, "I should be doing this," or, "I should be farther along on my journey by now," take up unwarranted residence in your mind, ultimately discouraging you and devaluing the progress you’ve made. Unfair, dead-end comparison will inevitably diminish your self-worth, leaving you floating somewhere between failure and survival rather than propelling you to a level of true success.

Faithfulness and Reward

Faithfulness in small things often leads to greater opportunities. The servants who were faithful with their talents were rewarded with more, while the servant who buried his talent out of fear received nothing. Fear can cause us to quit and give up early, but God expects a return on His investment in us, no matter how challenging it may seem.

Facing Your Fears

The servant who buried his talent admitted, “I was afraid.” Fear can stifle our potential and keep us from advancing, but if we face our fears and move forward, we can achieve more than we ever thought possible. We may not always see the hard work that goes into multiplying our talents, but with perseverance, we can grow and improve.

Pray for Clarity

If you’re unsure of your talents, pray and ask God for clarity. Proverbs 16:3 reminds us to commit our plans to the Lord, and He will establish them. Take time to reflect on your purpose and reconnect with your goals. If you’re unhappy with where you are, don’t stay there—tap into your gift and fall in love with it. Remember, as in the parable, some servants were given more talents than others. Even if you’ve been given only one, take that talent, practice it, sharpen it, use it, and let it be multiplied for the glory of God. Often, our depression stems from a lack of purpose. By utilizing your talent, you’ll recognize your purpose and experience the unexplainable joy that comes from God alone.

Takeaway: Remember Your Purpose

As always, Stephen leaves us with a major point to ponder—a takeaway. He reminds us to revisit and remember why we started our journey in the first place. Reflect on your goals and reconnect with them. Recall your "why" in the initial creation of the goal. If you’re feeling stuck, it’s never too late to change course. Something Has to Change is always about impacting the world through personal growth. God has given you the tools and resources to create and build a life of purpose, one that will inevitably change the world around you. Don’t let fear, comparison, or a lack of a system hold you back. With faithfulness, clarity, and dedication, you can unlock the success that God has already planned for you.

In Episode 33 of Something Has to Change, Stephen of Contemporary Speaks delves into the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25. In this parable, a master entrusts his servants with varying amounts of talents—a form of currency in biblical times—teaching a lesson that goes beyond mere financial stewardship. It’s a powerful reminder to recognize and utilize the gifts and abilities that God has entrusted to each of us. As we reflect on this episode, we must ask ourselves how successful we’ve been in making the most of the talents we’ve been given. We should also consider whether our journey to success has been stagnant, merely straddling the border of survival rather than consistently elevating to the level of true success.

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