Spiritual Gifts
In our day and age, especially in the culture we’re all familiar with, speaking of spiritual gifts could be considered casual conversation - someone talking about a prophetic word they had, a friend speaking in tongues for the first time, or a time they heard of a miraculous healing. But to a lot of people, Spiritual gifts can be a sort of intimidating topic to discover, and even more so enter into.
Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians:
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
A person could feel unable to recognize their Spiritual gift, and sometimes even feel pressured into developing a Spiritual gift. But there are a few things one must remember about Spiritual gifts and their relation to God.
God does things in His own time. He won’t rush something because you want to reap the benefits of it. God will introduce you to your gift when He thinks it’ll be most effective and edifying for you. Maybe that time has already come for you, or maybe you’re still in the time of preparing yourself to be a servant and child of God.
God does not show favoritism. 1 Corinthians 12 says
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
And also,
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”
People have been able to do so many wonderful things that God has enabled them to do. But sometimes that leads to a spirit of fear, in which one might question whether or not they could be “good enough” or as “successful” as another Christian. The truth is, the Holy Spirit rests on all who receive Him, and does not reject or hold back on any. He does not only give a small portion to one, then the rest to another. When you receive what Christ has given you with a clean heart, you will not be disappointed or less worthy than anyone else.
In closing, Paul says:
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”
In our day and age, especially in the culture we’re all familiar with, speaking of spiritual gifts could be considered casual conversation - someone talking about a prophetic word they had, a friend speaking in tongues for the first time, or a time they heard of a miraculous healing. But to a lot of people, Spiritual gifts can be a sort of intimidating topic to discover, and even more so enter into.
Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians:
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
A person could feel unable to recognize their Spiritual gift, and sometimes even feel pressured into developing a Spiritual gift. But there are a few things one must remember about Spiritual gifts and their relation to God.
God does things in His own time. He won’t rush something because you want to reap the benefits of it. God will introduce you to your gift when He thinks it’ll be most effective and edifying for you. Maybe that time has already come for you, or maybe you’re still in the time of preparing yourself to be a servant and child of God.
God does not show favoritism. 1 Corinthians 12 says
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
And also,
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”
People have been able to do so many wonderful things that God has enabled them to do. But sometimes that leads to a spirit of fear, in which one might question whether or not they could be “good enough” or as “successful” as another Christian. The truth is, the Holy Spirit rests on all who receive Him, and does not reject or hold back on any. He does not only give a small portion to one, then the rest to another. When you receive what Christ has given you with a clean heart, you will not be disappointed or less worthy than anyone else.
In closing, Paul says:
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”
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