Spiritual gifts are an essential tool God uses to equip His believer to fulfill their purpose in His Kingdom. Let's consider 5 main reasons why you should discover your spiritual gift.
1. Knowing and using your spiritual gift provides purpose and fulfillment.
Tabitha is only mentioned once in the Bible. And although we don't know much about her genealogy, life, or circumstances, her short life mentioned in Acts 9:36-43 provides us a lasting example of how utilizing our gifts offers God-given purpose and personal and community fulfillment. Tabitha was known for using her skill of sewing and making clothes to care for those in her community. She noticed a need among the widows and willingly gave her time and talent to help them. Tabitha's deep mercy for the widows and service to their needs provided great purpose in her life. It became her mission. It's clear to see how God used Tabitha's gifts to show His love, compassion, grace, mercy, and care for those she served. Tabitha's purpose and impact on her community were so substantial that Peter actually raised her from the dead when she became sick and died.
Discovering your spiritual gifts opens doors for you to find how to fulfill your purpose in life. God designed you uniquely perfect with a different temperament, passion, desire, skill set, personality, and spiritual gift. He desires to use you, as He did Tabitha, and the gift He has placed within you, to be a light in your circle of influence. "Let your light shine before man that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16.
Discovering your spiritual gifts opens doors for you to find how to fulfill your purpose in life.
Discovering your spiritual gifts also brings a level of personal and community fulfillment. Tabitha used her gifts of mercy and service, along with her skill set of sewing, to show the love of God to a group of people in need. She fulfilled a great need in her community which also provided her with a sense of belonging.
2. Knowing and using your spiritual gift enables you to serve with purpose over obligation.
Have you ever served out of obligation? I know I have. I grew up as a preacher's kid and was called upon to serve in many capacities. Don't get me wrong, while I learned from each experience and understand the need to serve at times regardless of our giftings, there were moments the task at which I was called to perform left me feeling ineffective.
When given the opportunity to serve from our spiritual gifts not only do you find it easier to perform the service, but it also leaves you with a sense of fulfillment and desire to continue. Consider Paul. He didn't travel from city to city because he felt like he had to. He traveled from city to city because God put a deep desire in his heart, paired with a gift to teach and lead, to share the love and hope of Jesus to the Gentiles.
When given the opportunity to serve from our spiritual gifts not only do you find it easier to perform the service, but it also leaves you with a sense of fulfillment and desire to continue.
Knowing and using your spiritual gift protects you from serving out of obligation and empowers you to operate from your God-given passion and gifts.
3. Knowing and using your spiritual gift brings unity.
I conducted a Spiritual Gifts Workshop several months ago for a group of 82 people. Friday night was an evening of self-reflection where I walked the participants through some important inward questions: Where am I spiritually, mentally, and emotionally? Where and what is God calling me to? Where do I fit into my church family? What is holding me back from pursuing God's purpose in my life? On Saturday, we reviewed each gift, discussed ideas for using gifts, and concluded the evening by answering, "now what." As our time together ended, I began to notice an increased sense of understanding throughout the room. Yes, the participants gained a deeper understanding of each gift, but what touched my heart the most was the deep level of understanding, love, and respect the participants expressed toward each other. They saw how gifts influence our desires, motivation, and behavior. They realized why other people do not always see things or react to situations the same as they would. They understood on a deep level how God used each of them differently to fulfill the church's mission. Discovering spiritual gifts, both personal and others, brought a sense of unity and harmony among the 82.
Knowing and using your spiritual gift brings unity among members, unity in purpose, and unity in actively pursuing the church's mission: to love and serve others and make disciples.
Discovering spiritual gifts, both personal and others, brought a sense of unity and harmony among the 82.
4. Knowing and using your spiritual gift increases productivity.
Thirteen years ago, I had knee surgery to repair cartilage in my knees. It was a textbook procedure, and after a couple of hours in recovery, I was ready to be discharged. My wife, Genevieve, pulled the car around, and before I knew it, we were home. She opened the door and began to guide me into our home. After a couple of steps, the worst-case scenario took place. I lost my balance and fell flat onto the cement floor. What should have been a simple walk into my home turned into a treacherous obstacle because a few body parts were out of commission.
Our body is most productive, and able to walk 25 steps without falling, when all parts do their job. If my mind was more coherent, my body wasn't as weak from the anesthesia, and my leg was able to bend and absorb weight, I would have walked into my home without help from our neighbor; who we met for the first time as he peeled me off for the garage floor and assisted me into my living room.
The body of Christ works the same way. It is most productive when all members do their part. Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 12:12-31 that God intentionally designed His people with specific gifts to meet the various needs within the church body. As members discover their gifts, more people are equipped and willing to serve. They begin to find a place to use their gifts and even gain a sense of belonging during the process. Ministry needs within the body are met and possibly increased or expanded.
Knowing your spiritual gift increases the productivity of your church because everyone is working collectively as a community. Jesus' comment, "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Luke 10:2)" would not describe your church family because everyone, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is using their gifts to serve and advance the Kingdom of God.
Knowing your spiritual gift increases the productivity of your church because everyone is working collectively as a community.
5. Knowing and using your spiritual gift helps others experience Jesus.
Each gift reveals a different dimension of God's divine character. Through the gift, you can see God's wisdom, knowledge, compassion, grace, love, power, and many other attributes. Being on the recipient end of the gift, you experience the hands and feet of Jesus. For example, you feel his tender voice spoken through the wisdom of another or feel his loving embrace from a selfless act of service during a time of need. I Corinthians 3:9 says, "For we are laborers together with God." God works through His children to accomplish His works here on earth. When you use the spiritual gift, which God has given you, you become his co-laborer. It is through the use of your gift that others will experience God.
It is through the use of your gift that others will experience God.
Your friend,
Caleb Elrod
Let’s Grow, Thrive, and Serve TOGETHER!!
If you are interested in learning more about spiritual gifts, check out my blog titled: Spiritual Gifts: What Are They and How Do I Find Mine?
Included in the blog titled: Spiritual Gifts: What Are They and How Do I Find Mine? you will find the ULTIMATE SPIRITUAL GIFT RESOURCE, a free 8 page PDF filled with gift definitions, gift liabilities, Bible references and Bible character examples. Click here to view the blog and claim your free spiritual gifts resource.