Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4: 10 – 11)
The Bible clearly states that every Christian is given spiritual gifts when they accept Jesus as Savior and the Holy Spirit takes up residence in their heart. When I hear people say that they do not have any gifts I cringe because I know that is not biblical. Yet, there are times when I, too, sometimes begin to wonder if I have any particular gift.
Once I went to a seminar and sat in on one breakout session that was on the Gifts of the Spirit. We took a test to see what our gifts might be. Probably the most eye-opening one for me was the score that indicated that I did not have the gift of hospitality. I was aghast until the speaker made it clear that sometimes the scores aren’t completely indicative of what we are gifted in. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it really isn’t my gift. I can’t honestly say that I just love to have people drop in on me, or that I love hosting large groups in my home. I do enjoy it, but I don’t LIVE TO DO IT! It is one of those gifts that I continually strive for and usually end up glad that I made the effort to be a good hostess. It’s not that I don’t love people. I do. It’s just that my “flighty” personality doesn’t allow me to be able to relax in this area of my life.
The point in bring this subject up is to remind any of you who feel that you don‘t have any gifts to remember that God says he has gifted all Christians and that we have to get out of our comfort zones sometimes to hone up on our gifts (or perceived lack of them.) I know that there are gifts that I have and I try to use them the way that God wants me to, but I also know that he doesn’t want me to stop trying to cultivate new ones.
What do you think your gift is? What do you think is not your gift? Are you using the gifts that you know God has given you or trying to improve the things that you feel are not your gifts? (See 1 Corinthians 12 for a list of spiritual gifts or go to: www.mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm
…..now for a funny story: I wrote this blog several days ago. On Friday of this past week I remembered that I was supposed to teach our Sunday School Class on Sunday (yes, in just two days!) I went to our Sunday School room to pick up a book because I didn’t even know what the lesson was going to be, let alone teach it! I prayed as I entered the room, “Lord, please let the lesson be from a scripture that I have taught before or at least am real familiar with. Please don’t let it be some off the wall Old Testament chapter!)
When I picked up the book and looked at the scripture passage, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the scripture above from 1 Peter and the topic was “Use Your Gifts.” I almost cried in gratefulness because my very favorite lessons I have ever taught were centered around using the gifts the Holy Spirit gives to each of us! Now, don’t you agree with me that our God is soooooooooooooooooooooo AMAZING (not to mention merciful!)
Hope you have a wonderful week ahead and will try to discover your gifts and use them for His Glory!
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