A reminder for today
There
are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of
them all. (1 Corinthians 12:4)
I love this question! Discovering and utilizing your
spiritual gifts is one of the most exciting adventures a person can have with
God. The Bible says spiritual gifts are abilities God bestows on every believer
for the common good of the body of Christ. They're a large part of the answer
to the question, "What should I do with the life God gave me?"
Passages like 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and 1 Peter 4 go
into specific detail about what these gifts are and how they should be used.
It's clear every spiritual gift is a reflection of God's nature that you carry
within you. And because your spiritual gift reflects God's design and direction
for your life, you'll find great passion, joy, and satisfaction in expressing
it. Your spiritual gift also will be a place of deep spiritual formation in
your life, as God uses it both to powerfully connect you to him and to expose
areas of your soul that need his forgiveness and redemption.
So here's a process to start:
Pay attention. Notice the things that
energize you and seem to come naturally. Remember the quote from the movie Chariots
of Fire when Eric Liddell explained to his sister why he was postponing his
return to the mission field in order to race in the Olympics? "Because
when I run, I feel the pleasure of God."
Every spiritual gift gives off clues. Your spiritual gift
will cause you to react a certain way in a given situation. If there's a
problem, people with the spiritual gift of shepherding will be immediately
concerned that people are cared for and growing in Christlikeness as a result
of the issue. Those with the gift of intercession (prayer) will immediately
say, "We need to pray about this," while those with a leadership gift
will begin looking at solutions for the problem.
Try. Once you've gathered enough information
to create a list of some possible gifts (perhaps gifts of mercy, evangelism,
encouragement, or hospitality), exercise your options. A great place to start
would be a volunteer position at your church. While you're trying it out,
you'll start to discern whether you're good at it or not. Also, others will
tell you!
When my kids were young, our church needed help in the
nursery during the worship services. I volunteered for a three-month opening. I
didn't feel the pleasure of God; the children didn't feel the
pleasure of God. It was so not my spiritual gift. Part of learning what
you're good at is having to go through the pain of learning what you're not
good at. As you try different things, you'll eventually find yourself engaged
in something during which time flies and you find a deep sense of connection to
God. Pick that road to continue your adventure.
Develop. In 2 Timothy 1:6, the apostle Paul
encourages Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God." We're
responsible to develop our gifts. Perhaps one of the best ways to do that is to
mentor someone who's just starting on this discovery process. People with the
spiritual gift of wisdom are probably the best people to develop someone else
with the spiritual gift of wisdom, and so on for each of the gifts.
It's remarkable how you can deepen your relationship with
God as you uncover and live out the spiritual gifts he's bestowed on you. What
could the church and our world look like if each of us used the gift God's
given us?
Lord, we pray that you will develop our spiritual gifts so
that we move into a deeper relationship with you and that we will live out your
glory. In Jesus name.
Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus.
Cheers
By Nancy
Ortberg.Nancy Ortberg is a church leadership consultant and popular speaker who
lives in California with her husband, John, and their three children.