“…I think for any Worship leader, or any person working in ministry, it is important to understand a couple of things. One is that you are not your gift. That there is a separate identity. So to walk around and remember, “I am not my gift.” And also that the tools are not the goals. Music is a tool. Lighting is a tool. Power point is a tool. Getting those things right is not the goal. God is the goal. Those are just tools. And we can real easily turn into worshippers of all the tools, rather than remembering that this is simply a tool to get the job done which is to help connect people with God and to help inspire people. That has been a good reminder for me to keep straight—God is the goal, not the tool and I am not my gift.”
Taken from an interview with Lincoln Brewster on cMusicWeb
I am not my gift… now that’s a hard concept to grasp! You may have a very strong gifting and that gifting may percolate its way into your whole life but it is important to remember that you can have a life outside of your gifting.
We often get too focused on our gifts and think that our entire lives have to revolve around them. That just leads to burn-out though.
 Yes, your gift and calling is important but wisdom is also important. Taking care of yourself and your other responsibilities is also important.
You may be a great pastor or evangelist or deacon or whatever it may be but you probably still have other responsibilities like caring for your family and being actively involved in the life of the Church.
I love what Lincoln Brewster said about tools too – the tools are not the goal. It is easy to get caught up in the ‘tools’ and forget about the important stuff, like actual ministry. The most obvious example of this is the worship ministry. How many churches do you know of where the ‘show’ becomes almost more important than the worship?
We need to be on our guard against the temptation to become too focused on the wrong thing. Even gifts that God has given you can be used wrongly if you become more focused on using your gift than on listening to God and following His direction.
God is the goal. God IS the goal. Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Him not on ourselves.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)