My Spiritual Gift
What am I good at? The question reminds me of when someone points out something about us (maybe something annoying) and our flip response is, “It’s a gift”. All joking aside, Jean Piaget in his personality theory pointed out that all of us have “learning structures” attached to our personalities that move us in a particular direction, things we will likely be good at. The terms for that are talent or ability. But for the follower of Jesus Christ, the Bible teaches that we are each given one or more spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are more than talents or an abilities, and they have a higher purpose, the building up of the body of Christ, the church. So, we need to ask ourselves, “What’s my spiritual gift”?
Bible Passages for Further Study
My purpose is not so much to discuss the spiritual gifts themselves. Neither do I plan to address the theological controversies that sometimes dominate this discussion. (They include things like serving, evangelism, teaching, leadership, mercy, giving, exhortation/encouragement). There are lists in Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4 if you want further your study of the specific spiritual gifts. For today’s blog, I am focusing more on how we find our spiritual gifts and what do we do with them.
Finding My Spiritual Gift(s)
Romans 12:3 lets us know that finding out our gift is not a self-exalting thing. We each have gifts, “a measure of faith”, that God chose for us personally. All of us are different, all of our gifts are important. Going with the illustration of each person being like a body part, where Christ is the head, Paul says, “The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty which our presentable parts do not require” (1 Corinthians 12:22-23). A pancreas or a liver does not have the glory of blue eyes, a right hand, or a head of hair, but you can’t do without one!
We start with two important truths: I know Jesus and I know I have a spiritual gift, which God gave me and intended me to use. How do I discover my spiritual gift? Let me give the most poetic description I have heard first. Stephen Buechner said we will find our spiritual gift at the intersection of the world’s deep need and my greatest passion. Kind of inexact but pretty cool.
Questions to Ask Ourselves
In my personal life and the lives of countless other brothers and sisters, I have found this formula to be true. First, do I have something to which I feel drawn? I found out early in my ministry that I am moved by helping people who are hurting, in the hospital, or grieving. I feel drawn to them. This is a sign of the spiritual gift of mercy.
Second, do other people see something in me that they point out to me, particularly people I respect?
Thirdly, when I feel drawn to something and try it, do I have success? When we think success, remember this is not about a talent like a singing voice or a 95-mph fastball. This is a spiritual gift, something the Holy Spirit does in us. And He uses our gift to help others, that goes with it too. So why not ask someone you respect, what gift do you see in me? If you feel drawn to something, why not try it? Let’s seek out our spiritual gifts.
