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.
