Spiritual Gifts

“In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t. If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.” ~Romans 12:4-8 (The Message)

Spiritual gifts, what are they? These are gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit and can be both things seen natural abilities as well as things that may seem to be more unnatural. I guess to simply put it, it’s in part how God has wired us and who He has made us to be. Nobody has every “gift” (hence the reason for the need of the entire church to work together since what one person is gifted with may not be what someone else if gifted with but every part is needed) but it’s good to know the “gifts” that we do have.

I was recently asked if I had ever taken a spiritual inventory to see what my “gifts” were and I have taken one but it’s been over a year and all I remember is that I had a high score in multiple areas but didn’t remember those areas. I will also say that one of my learning goals for the next 2 years is to discern and come to a better understanding of what God has equipped me to do (in other words, what are my “gifts” and what has God wired me to do?)

I absolutely believe with no doubt that “ministry” is my passion and where God has wanted me to be, I wouldn’t be here in TX if it weren’t God’s plan to have me in ministry but rather, I would be possibly miserable with a career that I thought was my dream career (you know, one of those careers where you knew since elementary school that you wanted to be but over time things change and God starts to add “gifts” into your life or make you aware of those “gifts” and you eventually realize that your dream career isn’t actually what you are meant to do.)

So, I am in ministry and working in TX and can honestly say that I love it. Yeah, there may be times that I don’t enjoy it and there may be times that it’s hard but that’s true with every job. However, 90% of the time, I enjoy what I am doing and don’t really see it as a job. However, since being at my placement site, I have been asked more than once what are my passions and what are my gifts. That is a question that I never enjoy and will answer around and never give an actual answer to. But, I do know that everyone has passions and everyone is gifted with something since that’s how God has made us.

Today, I decided to look online for some spiritual inventory tests just to see what the end result would be and they all had a 4 of my top strengths in common which were: administration, servanthood, faith, and leadership. So, what do those top “gifts” mean? At the end of this post, I will put the description of these 4 “gifts” under each area.

So, I know what the 4 different inventories that I took stated are my top “gifts” but do I agree with them?

Administration: I think that’s one that I don’t have to put any thought into since I have been told more times than not over the past 5 years that people see this “gift” in me. I remember when I was completing ministry job applications and my InterVarsity staff worker and mentor told me that he didn’t see me on staff with IFES (one of the ministries that I applied for and InterVarsity’s sister movement) because he knew more about the position and what it would require than I did and he knew what I was strong at. And needless to say, I did not get accepted onto staff with that ministry (there were various factors that played into that so it wasn’t just because of what my staff worker said and saw in me.) Administration comes easy to me so it would make sense that it’s a top “gift” but what does that mean in ministry? I will say one thing that it doesn’t mean is that I should only be doing administration or administration is all I want to do and that is seen through the other top “gifts”. So yes, I do agree with administration being a “gift” and I can guarantee others agree with this “gift” as well.

Servanthood: I would change the working of what the below description will say since I don’t think that servanthood is always about doing for others. The ministry program that I am working through is about ministry with and I believe that servanthood can be just that, ministry with and serving with rather than for. I do have a sense that part of my identity is in service and helping others and that’s why it was a hard choice to make when I was accepted into both AmeriCorps FEMA and ministry. Serventhood is an important part of my life and always has been. So, I would agree on servanthood being a top “gift” but change the wording since I don’t need to be doing for others but rather with others.

Faith: this is one that isn’t always easy and I don’t always agree that it’s a gift but over time I will say that it has developed just as every gift should develop rather than remain where they are. It has taken faith to be where I am and to get where I am. Without faith and knowing that God will provide no matter what, I would not be here in TX and I may not have completed college due to every year not knowing where the funds to pay tuition would come from. However, as I stated, it’s not always easy and I don’t always believe that this is my “gift” especially right now when I am supposed to be raising so much support for the ministry I am doing yet I don’t know how I am going to accomplish the goal and reach what I am asked to reach… I trust that God will provide yet I don’t see how it’s going to happen or even what to do right now.

Leadership: Again, I have been told different times over the past 5 years that this is a strength or “gift”. I minored in leadership studies in college and have always been in some type of leadership position since at least middle school. However, just like faith, it’s not always easy and doesn’t always seem to be a top “gift” but it’s in development and I believe that over time it will become more apparent and be strengthened.

So, in the end, I would say I do agree with these top 4 “gifts” but if I focus on only one area then I am ignoring the others. They all have to be used but what does that look like? So, what do you think? And as a reader, do you know what God has gifted you with and how are you going to put those gifts to use today, tomorrow, and every day?

Administration

“The gift of administration allows a person to organize people and resources for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and success.  Administrators have the natural ability to apply resources where they will do the greatest good.  Administrators are good with details and are deeply aware of how all the parts of a group or organization work together to achieve their goals.”

Servanthood

“Servanthood is the gift of doing for others, sometimes to the exclusion of meeting personal needs.  Servants look for ways to do for others both within and beyond the congregation and community.  Servants do not choose to serve, but serve from a sense of identity and call.  Gifted servants never feel put-upon or taken advantage of, but see each opportunity to do for others as a way to be true to self.”

Faith

“The gift of faith is more than belief in Jesus Christ, but an abiding foundation of confidence that God works all things together for good, and that they people of God can rise above any obstacle.  Faith is the bedrock upon which we build lives, congregations, and communities.  People with the gift of faith hold fast to the deep conviction that no matter what we see with our eyes, we can trust the promises and plan of God.”

Leadership

“The gift of leadership is a visionary, and forward looking gift that enables people to stay focused on where God might be leading us as individuals, congregations, and communities at any given time.  Leaders look more to where we are going rather than where we currently are, or where we have been.  Leaders motivate others to work together in ways that help them achieve more together than any could on their own.  Leaders provide examples of how we should order our lives to honor and glorify God.”