1 Peter 4:10
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

Ephesians 5:15-17
Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Galatians 6:3-4
For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.

John 13:7

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

Starting in Romans 9:20
On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

25As He says also in Hosea,
         “I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’
         AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’”

26“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’
         THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

Ephesians 4:6-7

...one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Romans 12:3

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

2 Corinthians 10:13

We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you.

Philippians 1:6;9-11

...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.…

1 Timothy 4:14-16

Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

Matthew 25:28

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

2 Timothy 2:15-16

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness…

Starting in 1 Corinthians 9:25

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Sooo, what can I take from this??

God is one father Who is over all, through all, and in all.  He made each of us a steward of His grace in some form(s), and I am to be absorbed in them and use them to serve others IN THE SPHERES He has given me/will give me (not every sphere available ;-).  I am not to act thoughtlessly though, but to try to find what it is that God wills for me to in the way that He desires me to do it - and make the most of every (the good, the bad, the ugly) step along the way, knowing He has a purpose for each success and each failure (because what I can see down here isn't anything like the big picture He sees and knows all too well from the high view He has while sitting on His heavenly throne).  I should desire that love abounds more and more in my life, in knowledge and in depth of insight, so that I will be able to discern what is right (it's not naturally in me to do so!) and be fruitful because of Jesus' work in me - that the Father is noticed, remembered, and praised!  He has also given me a spirit of love, power, and discipline to carry out the tasks and gifts He's given to me - not one of timidity.  God has warned me to not think better of myself than I ought, not to think my calling is any closer to His heart than any other's... something very likely for a lot of us to do. =Z  I am to examine myself and my work by HIS measuring stick and HIS transforming of my mind and heart,  and find fulfillment in the work He gives me to sink myself into and not be tempted to compare or conform my own life to the world's or anyone else's expectations.  He will fill my mind with His good, pleasing, and perfect will when I'm seeking and knocking.  However, I am competing in a race which requires much and strict training.  He calls me to be watchful of my life and pay close attention to my theology, and that I do not run aimlessly nor mindlessly beat at the air - I am running to win a crown that will last forever into eternity.  I am the Beloved, the child of the Living God, though I am but a lump of clay - He loves me more than I could know, and is making me into something beautiful, a vessel of mercy, to make known the riches of His glory.  How awesome is that?!  I can be confident in this:  that He who actually even thought of beginning a GOOD work in ME... Yes, He WILL complete it.  He is the author, and He will be the finisher of what He us doing with this lump of clay.

Talk about a good dose of encouragement, right?!?  And a good "truth" check.  My mind sure needs a lot of renewing to keep me on the right track...