God is so good, He has provided each of us with special gifting. I just watched Bubba Watson win his tenth PGA golf tournament. It had been almost two years since his last victory. When interviewed about his struggles over that period and just what it is that gives him the reason to keep going, he answered appropriately for a Believer. He said: “God has gifted me to play golf”.

He also admitted that he has talked about retiring from the game several times with his wife over that period. So is the prodding we feel from the Holy Spirit that which keeps us going when things are tough? You bet it is. But just like with Bubba, we chose to continue on and make use of our gifting, or we chose to quit. The fact is the gift is ours to use or to place on the shelf. Had Bubba chosen to quit, one thing is for certain. He would not have given God the glory for his gift and someone else would have walked off with that victory.

Jesus when teaching on the talents told of the servant who took his talent and buried it in a field. When his master returned he was not pleased with the servant, and took his talent from him and bestowed it on another. So does that make God accountable for the use of our gift or us?

The Calvinist would say it is all Him, nothing is from us. If it is His responsibility why does sickness and evil so often prevail? And why do we at times feel defeat in our walk? God has a reason for prodding us on. He does not want to remove our gifts, He wants to bestow on us even greater gifts.

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NASB