by Leigh Ann Dilley on March 25, 2024
Do you know you have been granted at least one spiritual gift? When considering spiritual gifts, several questions come to mind. First, what are spiritual gifts? How do we identify our own gift(s)? Where do they come from and what are they used for? Are there responsibilities that come with these gifts?
Most people have a difficult time recognizing their own giftedness but can easily spot gifts in others. So, it may be helpful to ask people who know you well about your own gifting. They are often better able to tell you what your skills are.
In 1 Corinthians 12:1-6, Paul writes, "Now dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this...There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all."
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 goes on to say, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice: or a message of special knowledge, great faith, the gift of healing, power to perform miracles, ability to prophesy, discern spirits, speak in unknown languages, or the ability to interpret what is said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts, He alone decides which gift each person should have."
To identify your own spiritual gifts, consider your interests. 1 Corinthians 14:! says, "Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives..."
Both interests and gifts come from the Holy Spirit. To live abundantly, as God desires, wouldn't it make sense our gifts and interests coincide? If you love to help others, the Holy Spirit gifted you with the gift of service. If you can't explain the great faith and optimism you have, the Holy Spirit gave you a gift of great faith. If you love to organize things, you may have been gifted the gift of administration, etc.
The list of gifts in 1 Corinthians is not a complete list. Romans 12:6, paraphrased says, "In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well." It mentions prophecy, service, encourager, teacher, giver, leadership, and kindness. And even this list is not complete.
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, through these gifts, "we equip God's people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come into such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Whew! That's a high standard for sure!
Spiritual gifts should be taken seriously and used to serve one another well. They are not for profit or self-pride. In everything we do, we are meant to bring glory to God, not ourselves. Gifts are never to be used in prideful, selfish ways. It is important to remember the gift flows through us but it is not from us. No gift is better than the other. Thank goodness we do not all have the same gifting. How would anything get done? The gifts function together, much like the parts of the body function together. It's ridiculous to think a single part of the body can perform all the things the body can do.
The combination of these gifts keeps the church strong, faithful, and growing in love. We can stand firm as a body and not be influenced by lies that sound like truth. We help each other out of our strengths.
Not only does the Holy Spirit assign the gifts, but He alone provides the power to activate them. A spiritual gift comes with a responsibility to use it. Why else would God have given you a gift if He never intended you to use it? So be bold and courageous in your gifting. Help the body wherever you can and whenever an opportunity is presented.
