Here are the top ten read blog posts in April of 2012:

1.) High Five and a Smile

2.) Choose to Change Your Life

3.) Are You the Underdog or the Favorite?

4.) People You Should Run Away From

5.) Don’t Compare Your Gift

6.) Don’t Put God First

7.) Enjoy Your Life

8.) P90X2 Phase 1 Review

9.) P90X2 Phase 3 Review

10.) P90X2 Phase 2 Review

“Every artist was first an amateur.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson

By now, hopefully you’ve recognized that you have a gift and you’re taking steps to discovering your gifts. Today I want to talk to you about developing your gift. No matter how much natural talent you have or how gifted you are, it won’t get you anywhere if you don’t grow and develop. Talent alone, is never enough.

John Maxwell said, “If you’re gifted at something, you’ll automatically be in the top 50% of people in the area of your giftedness. If you do anything intentionally to develop your gift, you’ll land in the top 10%. If you’ll determine to always grow and develop your gift, you’ll end up in the top 1%.” I believe that. Here are some things you can do intentionally to develop your gift:

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You will know them by their fruits. -Matthew 7:16

I heard Keith Moore tell the story of A Little Pear Tree. It goes like this:

Once upon a time there was a little pear tree. The little pear tree was surrounded by large trees in a forest! The little pear trees looked up at all the trees and said, “I’m a pear tree!”

The other trees replied, “You’re not a pear tree, you’re a little shrub! You don’t have any pears! You’re just shrub!”

The little pear tree replied, “No, I’m telling you, I’m a pear tree!” They argued all fall and all winter. The little pear tree tried so hard to prove he was a pear tree.

When spring came, the little pear tree produced pears. The pine trees stopped arguing and the little pear tree no longer had to prove that he was a pear tree!

Does anyone other than me feel like the little pear tree? We’re trying so hard to prove to the world that we’re something. “I’m a pastor! I’m a leader! I’m successful! I’m an author! I’m a ____”

Then we have people and thoughts come our way and tell us that we’re none of those things and that we’ll never be successful.

The truth is that we are who God says we are. If God called us to pastor, we’re pastors. If God called us to lead, we’re leaders.

The Key: The outcome of our lives. If we’re pursuing God with all of our hearts and taking the right steps, our lives will show who and what we are.

We won’t have to prove anything to anyone. What critics say won’t matter any more. The outcome of our lives will do all the talking.

Hear from God. Follow Him. Do what He says. Step out in faith. Shut your mouth. Don’t listen to critics. Stop trying to prove to the world who you are. Watch God do an incredible work in your life.

Thoughts?