What are your Spiritual Gifts?

YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS 

If you’ve been around a church for very long, you’ve probably have heard someone talk about “spiritual gifts.”  But do you know what that really means, or why it’s important to you?  You could be missing out on one of God’s greatest blessings! 

The Bible teaches that, when we become a Christian, God gives each of us at least one spiritual “gift” – and often more than one.   These “gifts” are not just  talents.  They’re a supernatural empowering that enables us to serve some special function within the “body” of Christ – the church.  1 Corinthians 12:7 tells us, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”  In effect, we are God’s gift to each other.  We need each other to be complete as believers, and to carry out God’s plan.  It takes a team effort. 

By now, you may be thinking, “Wait a minute; that sounds more like work than a blessing!”  Well, it certainly involves serving, but there’s a “catch.”  When God equips you to serve, carrying out that task is more rewarding and fulfilling than anything else you could do.  More than that, if you aren’t an active part of the body, you’re also missing out on those gifts you don’t have, gifts that God has given to other members of the “body” to complete you. 

Now, there are a variety of ways to determine your gifts – things like surveys, a sense of calling, even comments by others who notice how you seem to naturally do some things well.  But be careful.  Sometimes, a believer’s gifts are not readily apparent.  In fact, you may not feel very gifted, or perform very well in those areas at all …at first.  Often, this includes things like teaching, or speaking in public.  Your God-given abilities may be undiscovered and undeveloped – just waiting for your recognition and obedience to His call.  But be assured; whom God calls, He also equips. 

As you discover how God has gifted you, and the area of service to which He is calling you, concentrate your efforts in those areas.  A lot of people spend much of their valuable (and limited time) trying to improve in areas where they’re never going to excel.  It makes sense, whenever possible, to strengthen those abilities God wants us to employ.  As Kevin Miller once explained, “You can teach a dog to ride a pony, but it will never win a rodeo.”   If you give your best efforts to your areas of strength, you will also be less likely to get bored or frustrated.  Not only will you learn faster, but you will also enjoy it more.  Richard Saul Wurman explains, “Before learning can take place, there must be interest. You can't get lost on the road to interest." 

So how has God “gifted” you, … and what is He calling you to do?

Discover your possible Spiritual Gifts on some the surveys at the links below:

  Lifeway's Survey - survey that you can print and score manually.  Developed by Lifeway Christian Resources (Southern Baptist)

 Developed by a non-denominational ministry with a conservative, evangelical approach

  conservative evangelical approach that contains some influence from the Pentecostal/Charismatic perspective; developed for Lakevew Baptist Church in Auburn, AL.

  from the web site of Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, TN (where Dr. Adrian Rogers once pastored).