Finding Your Spiritual Gifts part 1

It is rare that a new follower of Jesus has an experience like Paul’s on the road to Damascus where God hits them over the head and speaks to them out of the blue. (See Acts 9.) Almost always God chooses to work through human agents who share the good news about Jesus and bring their friends and acquaintances to faith in Him. The same is true when it comes to identifying the spiritual gifts of most individuals. You should not wait for God to speak to you from a pillar of fire or in a dream. He will most likely work through His servants—your fellow human beings—to help you see what He has placed in you and the work to which He is calling you.

As a practical matter there are a number of ways that you can identify your spiritual gifts. It is also important to understand that in most cases a person does not have a single gift, but two, three or more gifts. The unique, individual aspect is in what is called your “gift mix,” the mix of spiritual gifts that are particular to you as an individual. So, these approaches to finding your spiritual gifts are more about identifying your specific mix of gifts than a particular, individual gift.

In the New Testament spiritual gifts are bestowed by the Holy Spirit and then confirmed by the local, primary community of believers where the individual is an active participant. This confirming experience is vital to the whole notion of spiritual gifts both because it helps the individual find their gifts and because it claims those gifts as part of the body. Remember, spiritual gifts are given “for the common good.” (See above.) So, the task of identifying your particular gift mix is an interactive experience which involves at least a small number of your fellow church members.

1 Corinthians 12:10 lists a gift of discernment, or the ability to “distinguish between spiritual gifts.” This passage indicates that some Christians have a special ability to help identify spiritual gifts. Some commentaries state that Ephesians 4:11-12 indicates that “pastors and teachers” have a special role in this regard, helping “to prepare God’s people for works of service.” It is a central duty of your pastor or elder or small group leader to help each believer in the group identify their spiritual gifts and grow in Christian maturity through, among other things, utilizing those gifts.

These realities help to frame the methods that may be used in identifying your spiritual gifts. Let’s review the practical options available to you:

1. Pray for insight. If you are serious about this spiritual quest, it must be rooted in prayer. Ask God to reveal to you the particular mix of abilities He has created in you and how best to use these gifts for His mission in the world. Do not expect a miracle; that would be presumptuous. It is very unlikely that God is going to appear to you in a dream or send an angel to touch your tongue. We have no right to yearn for such a spectacular response. Remember, we are to “think humbly” of ourselves. God will answer your prayer, most likely through the accumulation of input from the other methods listed here and the “still, small voice” of the Holy Spirit as the information comes together.  Continued…………….