Discovering Your Gifts, Part 1

Stephen Covey’s First Things First is a popular self-help book that presents a time management approach designed to increase effectiveness based on values. Covey describes how some people are driven by the clock instead of the compass, making choices on what is urgent but not necessarily important. By identifying your primary principles, you will be guided to “true north” instead of being distracted by things that don’t provide a long-term benefit.

Using a matrix to outline the urgent, not urgent, important, and not important, Covey helps people prioritize their work by seeing how they are often motivated by the urgent but not always important. The area we are most likely to neglect are important areas, such as exercise and planning.

For the Christian, the most important daily work is to spend time with God and seek to be filled with the Spirit. Because the Lord does not pester us, such quiet time can fall into the not urgent category, though it is important. And this was the first work given by Christ to the disciples after returning to heaven. Jesus commanded them to wait for the Promise of the Father “which … you have heard from Me. … You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4, 5).

It is through the Holy Spirit that we receive spiritual gifts and the power to do the work of Christ. “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one” (1 Corinthians 12:7). After listing gifts, Paul explains how the “Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (verse 11).

The first step in discovering your spiritual gifts is to prayerfully seek the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your life. Though it may not seem to be an urgent step, it is essential—for it is only through the Spirit that we may know and receive the divine abilities to be effective servants for Christ.

Apply It:

Spend specific time this week praying daily for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and reveal to you the special gifts He has given you.

Dig Deeper:

Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7, 8; Hebrews 11:6

Key Bible Texts

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Corinthians 12:7 KJV)