What Is Your Spiritual Gift? Ask & Listen!
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘Do not neglect the gift that is in you…’ (1 Timothy 4:14a)
I was recently asked by someone ‘what is my Spiritual gift that God wants me to use?’ This question comes up surprisingly quite often; it comes from both the young and the old. I often give some suggestions and encouragement, mostly to do things all Christians should do – share the Word, provide others a Godly example to follow, be Christlike in actions and words that others may see and hear Him in you.
Most seem a little frustrated when I add, ‘…but pray for the Holy Spirit to show you what your gift is.’ Sometimes what I hear is, ‘But I have asked and so far, I haven’t got a clue!’ My reply is not meant to be snarky, but often taken as such (based again on reaction): ‘Have you been earnestly looking for God’s reply, in prayer or Scripture study, or in your discussion in fellowshipping with others?’ The blank stare is often the retort, the unspoken words of, ‘Who’s got time for that?’ God needs to text me what my gift is!’
Well, God does, in His way, ‘texts’ you his answer to your inquiries of Him, but not on your smartphone (at least not in a ‘directly from Him’ fashion). It is often that nudge, or an unsettling that will make you move in a direction that you did not want to go in. It is often that act that you say, ‘I can’t do that! I don’t have the time!’ Sometimes it is something that will make you uncomfortable or hesitant to do. It could be something that is ‘beneath’ your perceived stature, or something well above your ‘pay grade’.
We all have a Spiritual gift we can and should share. The rest of 1 Timothy 4:14 talks of ordainment, with the laying of the Elders’ hands to give the spiritual gift as stated in prophesy. However, we are all ordained by Jesus in His service, and given gifts through the Holy Spirit as believers in Christ. I have been fortunate to be given the gift of ‘gab’, which allows me to teach. Sometimes it is others who recognize your gift; before our former teacher left our Life Group, my fellow classmates came and asked me if I would take over the teaching.
Although I did some technical training courses, and briefly did some teaching at an assisted living facility in North Port years before, that experience was a one-way teaching, without dialogue. I wasn’t comfortable with that, and initially I didn’t want to nor did I feel qualified to ‘full-time’ teach and lead a class. On top of that, the class, full of hospitality workers, serving lunch on Sunday, wanted to move the class to Monday evening. Our pastor at that time didn’t like the idea of the move. If I had followed my feelings, the answer would have been a resounding ‘NO’. But I prayed and the Spirit kept coming up in my thoughts with, “But who else will?”
The answer, of course, is obvious. I said I would, and with some trials, tribulations, and even some missteps over the years, I have been teaching our Monday Night Life Group for over 16 years. It is a Spirit-led endeavor; on several occasions with no clue how to present the outline, I begin the lesson somewhat clueless and ‘afterwards I’m told it was a great lesson and that I really ‘had it’. What I ‘had’ was the Holy Spirit leading the lesson and the words that flowed.
Later, I was asked to consider becoming an Elder, and later to preach when necessary. Again, my feeling was that I wasn’t qualified or ready, but in Faith I moved forward, and now have I not only had the privilege of providing a message to our church, but also to write this daily blog. This gift of ‘gab’ is not from me, however, but from the Lord. I would not be doing this if He had not appointed me to do so.
The good news is you also have a gift from God, that He wants you to share with others as well. He will help you with the implementation of that gift, sometimes even when you think it is impossible to implement. The Lord will provide you the means to prosper Spiritually in using your gift for His purpose; I have been blessed for teaching and sharing with others the Word; your gift may vary but it is equally as important.
If you don’t know what your gift is, pray that the Lord shows you what it is. If you say, “well that can’t be it”, it probably is indeed ‘it’, as the Lord wants you to be dependent on the Spirit to lead you. Once you know what your gift is, use it and exercise it often, and as Paul says, don’t neglect it. Remember, the Pastor’s messages can be magnificent, but if someone doesn’t clean the restrooms, or changes the light bulbs, or sets up the streaming video; who will hear it? Who would want to come to church? We all need to play our part, using the gifts we are given by the Holy Spirit of God.
