A Journey to Finding Your Spiritual Gift
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” 1 Corinthians 12:1-7
While there are different gifts, we are given these gifts for one purpose, to serve God’s people and reflect His love, grace, and mercy.
What is Your Spiritual Gift?
This question is a thought-provoking question for many! This question sent me on a quest for my purpose and God’s Will in my life. I have personally searched for the magic formula and that perfect test to tell me what spiritual gift God gave me. Surprisingly, what I found is that there really is not a perfect answer, but more of a journey… the journey of finding one’s spiritual gift may be different for each one of us; however, there are a few steps that will be helpful to take along the journey.
Stay in God’s Word . . . this is where we will see and hear God. This is where we will get to know God on a more intimate level. The closer we stay to Him the easier it is to stay in the Biblical Truth and not get caught in the worldly view of what our gifts are.
Pay Attention . . . your reactions and compassion to certain situations and people will show you your passion. Notice what energizes you and where you feel comfortable and who you feel comfortable with. Let the Holy Spirit convict you and lead you.
But do not get too comfortable!
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone . . . this is where we miss the blessing of serving and utilizing our self-hidden spiritual gifts. We are often asked to serve in a particular area, but we do not feel equipped or comfortable enough to serve where asked, we put ourselves in an identity box of lies. We often think that we do not have the appropriate gift needed to serve… maybe because of the perceptions others have placed in our lives, past failures, or fear of future failure. We must crush the lies of that identity box! If God has called us to a particular ministry, then He will provide the gift we need. If there is a need in our church, community, distant city, or even distant country and we are asked to serve, we should not say no just because we feel we do not possess the spiritual gift to be successful. God goes before us and gives provision where needed for His glory.
Step Out of the Way and Pray . . . God may be trying to use you in a way that you never could imagine possible, and you are getting in the way. Do not assume you are not equipped for a particular ministry! Let God decide where you should serve. We should be in prayer about our gifts and the area we should serve in. If God calls you to serve, He will give you what you need.
Journal your Journey. . .
Journaling can serve as a reminder that it is a journey and not a destination… Journaling can serve as a mirror: it reflects back and reminds us of our losses and victories, our helpless cry outs to God, and our praises of when we saw God working, even though we know He is always by our sides working for us. We can also see our growth from the journey, how we have developed personally from our ups and downs: the times we were comfortable and uncomfortable, the people we were with, and how we reacted in certain situations. We can use our documented journey as clues to where God is leading us as servants and what spiritual gifts we used in a certain situation or ministry opportunity. It can be an avenue to reveal our spiritual gifts. I go deeper into journaling in my article Journaling . . . A Journey and Reflection of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace
Serve with Humbleness . . .
Romans 12:3-8 tells us that we should serve with humbleness in the body of Christ; “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
Discovering and utilizing our spiritual gifts can be one of the most exciting journeys we 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. When God gives us a Spiritual Gift, it’s not to glorify our ability as our worth, we are given the gift to glorify God and to serve His people. Use your gift with humbleness and give all the glory to God. Without God’s grace, you would not have the gift to be equipped for the situation at hand.
Even though our gifts vary, they all are a reflection of God within us. When we use God’s gifts and reflect His servant love, mercy, and grace, we will surely find an abundance of satisfaction, passion, and joy in serving the body of Christ. The journey of finding and using our gifts can direct our paths through passion and joy while connecting us to God’s Will for our lives.
Dear Lord, I pray that our eyes and hearts are open to the spiritual gifts you have given us. That we follow Your lead and do not try to get in front of Your steps. Let us joyfully and willingly serve the body of Christ. Let us all come together with our diversity of gifts to become one in You! Let the lost stop wandering and find you. I pray that the believers can be a reflection of You for all to see.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pam Robinson is a guest blogger for Christian Marketing Company. Pam has been married for 25 years to her college sweetheart and together they are raising their three sons. She is a former high school dual enrollment teacher and a breast cancer survivor. Pam’s passions are sharing God’s Word, teaching, encouraging, organizing, and writing. Pam chooses to live a ketogenic lifestyle to take care of the one body that she has been given on this earth and loves collaborating with others to enhance her knowledge of a natural healthy lifestyle. Ultimately, she loves teaching and encouraging others to choose joy and live abundantly, John 10:10, even when they are at the edge of a pit. You can read more of her blogs at www.liveabundantlywithpam.blogspot.com, learn more about her services at www.liveabundantlywithpam.com and www.ketofuelzone.com, and connect with her on Facebook and Pinterest.
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