You Are Personally Designed

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:6-8

Have you ever picked up a souvenir only to flip it over and see the same familiar stamp: “Made in China”? It doesn’t matter whether you bought it in Mexico, Hawaii, or a shop down the street—the same label appears everywhere. After a while, you start to wonder about authenticity. Sometimes we treat God’s spiritual gifts the same way, as if He mass‑produces them in heaven and ships identical versions around the world. But Scripture tells a different story. “One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11, NKJV). God doesn’t hand out generic gifts. He doesn’t pull something off a shelf and drop it on us. His work is personal, intentional, and uniquely tailored to who He created us to be.

The Holy Spirit is not a distant visitor who shows up only during special events or emotional moments. His presence is daily, constant, and active. Hebrews 11 celebrates the faith of Old Testament saints who saw God’s promises “afar off” (Hebrews 11:13, NKJV), yet they never experienced what believers enjoy today. They lived faithfully, but they did not have the Spirit dwelling within them as His temple. We live under a better covenant—one in which God Himself takes up residence inside His people. What Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph experienced externally, we experience internally. Paul declares, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20, NKJV). Jesus even prayed that we would share in the same unity He has with the Father—“I in them, and You in Me” (John 17:23, NKJV). This is not symbolic language. It is the reality of every believer.

And if Christ truly lives in us, then His gifts, His presence, and His work in our lives are anything but mass‑produced. God shapes His gifts around our personalities, experiences, strengths, and even our weaknesses. He uses the unique mixture He has placed within us to glorify Himself in ways no one else can replicate. God’s gifts are not stamped from a factory line. They are handcrafted by the Spirit who dwells within you. You don’t need a special event to experience His presence—He is with you right now, working through your uniqueness for His glory. So walk with confidence. Lean into the gifts He has given you. And remember: the same God who lives in you is the One who empowers you, guides you, and uses you in ways only He can.

“The Spirit works within us individually, fashioning our character and gifts so that each of us may serve in the particular way God intends.” – J.I. Packer