All Glory to God

Oh, friends. How I love it when God speaks to my heart!

And HE speaks through His Word, amen?

I feel vulnerable typing this out for the world to see, but I am not my own.
May God use me and my words and my vulnerability for HIS glory alone.
You see, the thing is, I have been so skewed in my thinking. I have often been intimidated by seeing people who are being used by God to do good things. I have looked at them and thought, Wow. They're so amazing. So talented. Accomplished. Look at how they shine!
While simultaneously concluding of myself, I'll never be like that. I can't do those things. I am not as worthwhile as they are.
And then I find feelings of jealousy and self-deprecation creeping into my heart - tempting me to miss out on the good God is doing. I've gone there too many times to count.
But, thanks be to God who - by His grace and mercy given to us by Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit - speaks. Through study of His Word, HE has set me free.
Just look at this, will you?
These are verses we have been studying in my Precepts class for the past two weeks.
As you read them, note the Source of the gifts we have. (The italics are mine.)

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit... 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
~1 Corinthians 12:7-11

6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith...
~Romans 12:6

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
~1 Peter 4:10-11

Did you see it?
I mean, could HE make it any more clear???
Over and over again we are told the gift(s) each believer is given comes from the Spirit, by the grace of God. It isn't from us, or about us. Has nothing to do with us - except that in God's mercy HE called us, and chose in His perfect knowledge to equip us with particular abilities for the edification of the Church.
The gifts we have been given are to be used by us - as directed by God, through His Spirit - for the common good, to bring Him glory.
Exaltation of ourselves (or other believers) has no place in this equation.
And I?
Am so thankful to God for His Word and His patience and His ability to speak Truth to my heart.

Have you found yourself feeling jealous or insignificant because of someone else's spiritual gifts?
How does this perspective from God's Word affect you?