Spiritual gifts are just that. GIFTS. You cannot earn them, work for them, stand in line for them, or volunteer for them. They are GIFTS and they are given to each of us who follow Christ. And I always say, if you don't like the gifts you are given, well, you can take that up with the Holy Spirit!
"All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each person, just as He determines." 1 Corinthians 12:11
I don't believe the Holy Spirit is selfish about them, either. He gives them freely and graciously! Most people who have gone through my classes have at least three gifts that are evident to them. I find that many more gifts continue to surface as a person grows in his/her relationship with God and seeks to serve Him in many ways. In other words, sometimes we are not aware of gifts until we have had opportunities to use and develop certain gifts. And then there are times that God equips us with gifts necessary for a specific ministry situation, even if they are not our primary set of gifts.
So why do we even have spiritual gifts?
- Our use and development of our spiritual gifts glorify God. People see God and not us...He is made known.
- Our spiritual gifts help other people when we use them as God intended. For example, when we use the gift of teaching, we are helping others understand the Word of God. Those with the gift of mercy/compassion see people in need and reach out to help them.
- The body of Christ (the Church - individual churches and the CHURCH as a whole) is strengthened and built up when we identify and develop our spiritual gifts. Similar to our physical bodies, when the parts of the body of Christ function and thrive, the body is healthy, stable, and productive.
I know that many of you are anxious to complete an assessment. But I feel it necessary to lay a strong foundation about spiritual gifts in general before we start getting specific.
Coming Thursday: What Spiritual Gifts are Not. ( And hopefully, the assessment)
So, tell me. Do you know what your gifts are? Have you ever been frustrated with the gifts you have been given? Are you using your gifts to build up the body of Christ? Please comment!
Unwrapping the gifts - the "spiritual" ones,
Kelli
Linking up with SDG...if you have never visited this blog, you need to. Jen is a terrific writer and loves the Lord!
6 comments:
Kelli!
I love this post. It is a reminder that our passions and skills are more than just that; they are gifts given by God to glorify his name. One of the most difficult things for me to discern is the difference between my passion (what I truly love to do..which is preaching and writing) and the gift that God has placed in me. Are those the same thing, or is there a difference between what we love to do and what spiritual gift God has called us to grow and utilize? I always wonder what my purpose is not only in the light of what my passion is but what gifts has God actually placed in me to use.
Kelli,
I was so surprised to find that my gifts are the areas I'm naturally drawn to. How nice of God!
One gift that is sometimes a bit tricky is the gift of exhortation. I have had to learn lots of tact and humility with this one to avoid being perceived as pushy. Even then, sometimes people just don't want to be coaxed out of their comfort zone.
Love what you are doing. Keep it up!
Whenever I think about spiritual gifts, I always think about the mini-coke skit at She Speaks!
I think my gifts are encouragement and leadership and I pray that I am using them to the best of my abilities!
Hey Laura! Thanks for commenting. You have a great question! "is there a difference between what we love to do and what spiritual gift God has called us to grow and utilize?" I look at it this way...God created us - He gave and ignited passions within us AND He also gifted us with certain spiritual gifts. He is such a smart God - I think He puts everything together - our passions, gifts, personalities, etc to accomplish the purpose He has for us. Sometimes our passions, like preaching and writing, go hand in hand with our spiritual gifts, like teaching, encouragement/exhortation, or even knowledge. Sometimes our spiritual gifts complete our package...like we are given the gift of encouragement when our personality is choleric (or driven.) So, my suggestion for you is to 1. take an assessment, I will post one later this week and 2. Ask for affirmation from others on gifts in which they think you are spiritually anointed. I would be glad to help you through this process!
Shannon, you are right on with exhortations and your cautions. I encourage people with this gift to stay in tune with the Lord and "speak the truth in love."
Jen, you are so using your gifts and I am a beneficiary!
You had me at the opening line. "Spiritual gifts are just that...a gift." Thank you, God, for these gifts. May they be used for Your glory alone!
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