I belong to a great Monday afternoon Bible study with a group of people from my work, an a few others… today the topic of Spiritual Gifts came up, with a suggestion of several books to read, and test to take, and processes to find your personal spiritual gifts. I couldn’t help but throw in my two scents worth…
One of the best ways to discover your Spiritual Gifts is to get out and start using them. In other words, look for areas to serve and see if you have a unique gifting in a particular area. Try volunteering in your church, if one role doesn’t work out try another. Serve in the Nursery, Volunteer with the Youth, go on a Mission trip, be an Usher, help with your churches web site, be a server for a banquet, go along to feed the homeless, go on an outreach project, teach a women’s/men’s study, sing in the choir… Then, use input from others and your own personal reflection and prayer to discover how God has shaped you. I like the SHAPE acronym. God has shaped each of us differently, and uses all of our experiences and giftings to accomplish His purpose. God is a God of economy and waist nothing, and He never makes Junk.
SHAPE:
- Spiritual Gifts – What special giftings has God given you to accomplish his work?
- Heart – What grabs your heart? God may have put a special need on your heart, so that you could fill it.
- Ability – What are you skilled at? What are your natural strengths? God give each of us talents and skills that could be applied to serve the growth of His kingdom.
- Passion – What are you passionate about? What increases your energy level when you think about it?
- Experience – God will use your past, good and bad, successes and failures… so that you can comfort others with the comfort that you have been comforted with.
The more that we operate in our strengths, the more effective we will be. Some people want to work on their weaknesses, I think that most people should work on their strengths, so that our good can become our best. 🙂 Too often we can learn too much, and do too little.
My wonderful, and incredibly smart wife just reminded me what the P stands for. Not Passion (Passion is the same as Heart, when you think about it) P is for Personality, which makes more sense when you think about it.Spiritual GiftsHeartAbilityPersonalityExperience
My wonderful, and incredibly smart wife just reminded me what the P stands for. Not Passion (Passion is the same as Heart, when you think about it) P is for Personality, which makes more sense when you think about it.
I have lead one small group and one church through the ’40 Days of Purpose’ book by Rick Warren. And I have noticed a couple of interesting things. The small group of 18 people were fired up and ready to change the world. But after meeting for a year they are finding that they are too busy to serve much more than they already were. And the church thought that the ’40 days of purpose’ was so great that they want to study more. They have not got around to serving more.Travis Pitts
I have lead one small group and one church through the ’40 Days of Purpose’ book by Rick Warren. And I have noticed a couple of interesting things. The small group of 18 people were fired up and ready to change the world. But after meeting for a year they are finding that they are too busy to serve much more than they already were. And the church thought that the ’40 days of purpose’ was so great that they want to study more. They have not got around to serving more.
Travis Pitts
I’m amazed when people tell me that they attend like, 10 bible studies a week. I have a hard enough time implementing what I learn at one! I don’t want that to sound wrong… We should all study ourselves approved, correctly dividing the Word of God, and be hearers of the Word. Let’s just make sure that we are doers of the Word as well. 🙂
I’m amazed when people tell me that they attend like, 10 bible studies a week. I have a hard enough time implementing what I learn at one! I don’t want that to sound wrong… We should all study ourselves approved, correctly dividing the Word of God, and be hearers of the Word. Let’s just make sure that we are doers of the Word as well. 🙂