In Romans 12:6-8, Paul tells us that God has given each of us a gift, which the Amplified Bible also translates as ‘talent’ or ‘quality’, and Peter writes in his first letter that we should use these for the benefit of others and for God’s glory (1 Peter 4:10).
The free will that God has given us means that we can choose to use them in this way, neglect them or even use them for selfish gain. These gifts were not an afterthought for God. He gave them to us when He fearfully and wonderfully formed us in our mothers’ wombs and have been a part of our character throughout our own lives, revealed to us through the Holy Spirit.
Like coloured or tinted sunglasses will colour the way we see the world, these gifts influence the way we see and respond to the world and people around us. They motivate our natural responses in situations, and we find the opportunity to use them meaningful and fulfilling.
That’s why we refer to them as ‘Motivational Gifts’, because they are the motivation, or driving force, behind the way we see and interact with the world around us.