The Lord apportions spiritual gifts to each believer according to His perfect plan for all of His children.
Scripture tells us that there are many types of spiritual gifts – and that makes sense doesn’t it? Our good and creative God has sculpted a beautiful variety of physical attributes and strengths in each of us… He saw fit to also give us a variety of spiritual gifts. Just as the eye needs the hand, and the head needs the feet (1 Corinthians 12:21,) we each need one another’s spiritual gifts.
There are several passages in the New Testament that describe the spiritual gifts:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to anothervarious kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-13)
God does not give us gifts to puff us up, or to make us feel inferior. His purpose in giving spiritual gifts is for us to use them for His glory, and for the good of others. In selfless service using our God-given gifts, we love actively and show Jesus Christ in the world.
For the month of May we will be looking more closely at the spiritual gifts. If you are not sure what gifts He has given you, ask Him! Spend time in prayer. Ask faithful friends what they see in you. You may even want to try taking a questionnaire that can help you think it through in more detail.
We pray that you will seek the Lord about how He wants you to use the gifts He has given you to bless others. And remember – He may take you out of your comfort zone! God is not limited by your natural inclinations… He calls us to grow in Him so that we can live a life of love.
Has God used someone with a different gifting to bless your life?
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Tweetables:
God has sculpted a beautiful variety of gifts in each of his children. #SpiritualGifts @DoNotDepart http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2Ut tweet this
A new series for May – #SpiritualGifts from @DoNotDepart http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2Ut tweet this
In selfless service using our God-given gifts, we love actively and show Jesus Christ in the world. http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2Ut tweet this
Love the gifts inventory. Just took it for myself and am going to have my kids take it now!
Love this statement, Patti: “His purpose in giving spiritual gifts is for us to use them for His glory, and for the good of others.” You’ve summed it up perfectly. Great introduction– I’m looking forward to reading more in this series!