I feel almost human today. I'm so very, very tired. Then I get so very, very angry -- every time I lay down to rest, my throat starts itching until I have to cough. I burst into coughing fits, then my eyes are watering, I'm sweating, I'm definitely not resting and I am MAD. Sleep deprivation will do that to you!
So, in and amongst the wandering the house not lying down and sighing sporadically, I've been thinking about spiritual gifts. The magazine I was reading yesterday -- the one that I pretended was research -- had an entire section about using spiritual gifts. It had two interesting statistics from the Barna Group: 71% of believers have heard of spiritual gifts (which tells me 29% need to read the word just a wee bit more) and 31% of believers can name a spiritual gift they believe they possess. More than 2/3 of believers have no idea what gift they have been given from God, much less are using it for His kingdom.
Actually, that's probably unfair -- I'm sure some of the people are using a gift every day that they don't even realize they have, such as administration or exhortation. This is one of those areas that ties into me being impatient with people unwilling to examine themselves (obviously my spiritual gift does not include patience -- especially not for coughing fits). I think that if we are keenly aware of our gifts, we will seek out those things, worshipping Him by our service to Him in our area of giftedness.
Okay, I had lots of yada, yada that made sense to my medicated brain but not-so-much here. So, what do you think? About all of it?
a)Do you believe that ALL believers have been given spiritual gifts?
b) If so, and you are a believer, have you identified yours?
c) If you have identified a spiritual gift you have, are you currently using it? Why or why not?
P.S. One thing mentioned in the magazine that I would also like to mention here: knowing your gifts does NOT give you license to shirk any other duties or responsibilites. For instance, showing mercy can be a gift, but certainly not asked only of those people that have that gift. Sometimes the Lord will call us into duty beyond our gifts. I think Moses would agree. So would Mary. Be willing to say, "This isn't really my gift, but here am I, Lord, use me."
Now, your turn. I shall be coughing.
4 comments:
I'll start!
a) I believe God gives each of us, as believers, first the gift of His Spirit. With THAT gift comes many others. In short, yes, I think all believers have at least one spiritual gift.
b) I have identified 2 strong gifts and 2 not-quite-as-strong gifts.
c) I'm currently using one of my strong gifts, and the other one not as much. I'm being a little vague about it, b/c I have been in prayer about using it. I am seeking God's leading, without blog-interference, if that makes sense.
God tells us we all have gifts through the Spirit.
Mine is the gift of encouragement.
I also believe that the parable of the talents refers to our gifts God gives us. If we use them, they grow, if we bury them they don't.
Yes, I believe that God gives gifts to all believers; but I sometimes think we get too hung up on them and trying to figure them out. If someone is doing something in the Body -- and is enjoying it,feeding others and being fed from doing it -- then I think that person is operating in his/her spiritual gifting. As you said, it's possible to do that and not be aware that it's a spiritual gift, because it feels easy and natural and ordinary. But something that is easy for me is difficult for another person, and vice-versa.
And you're really right in that we can't use what we perceive as our giftings to avoid working in another area!
Great post!
Thanks for stopping by BLR and leaving a comment!
Yup, I (mostly) shut down my internet one week out of every three months. (Today was 'skim the bloglines and see what I've missed day'...I had something like 183 entries to read, so I went through them pretty quickly). I still do email, and I check the weather...I just don't spend time on blogs or message boards or window-shopping around.
Amazing how much I can get done in a week if I don't hang out on the internet for a couple (um, or more) of hours a day!
;)
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