Discovering Your Gifts, Part 2

Have you ever had trouble finding a book in your local library? You’ll probably have more luck if you head over to the British Library—the world’s largest. The national library contains over 170 million items from countries all over the world. If you need to find a book, manuscript, journal, newspaper, magazine, sound recording, video, play-script, patent, database, map, stamp, print, or drawing, saunter over to the British Library.

If you are trying to find your spiritual gifts, the best place to begin— after asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance—is to study the Bible. We are encouraged to “search the Scriptures” (John 5:39), to rightly divide “the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), to study “the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11), and to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

There are four major passages in the New Testament that provide examples of spiritual gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 28 (wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation, apostleship, teaching, helps, administration); Romans 12:6–8 (not repeating previously listed gifts: encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy); Ephesians 4:11, 12 (evangelism, shepherding). Some also include craftsmanship (Exodus 31:3), artistic communication (Psalm 45:1; 1 Chronicles 25:1), intercessory prayer (Exodus 17:9–12), and hospitality (1 Peter 4:9).

None of the lists of spiritual gifts in the Bible is identical to another, which suggests that there might be other gifts not mentioned in the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit gives to the church to accomplish certain goals. Christians who have dedicated their entire lives to Jesus will use all their gifts—natural or spiritual—to build up the kingdom.

Some Christians do not think they have a spiritual gift, but the Bible says, “The Spirit is given to each one” (1 Corinthians 12:7) and gifts are distributed by the Spirit “to each one individually as He wills” (verse 11). You are gifted—and if you are unsure just how, go to God’s library, the Bible, and pray for divine insight.

Apply It:

Which gifts listed in Scripture do you most identify with?

Dig Deeper:

Matthew 25:19–23; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 2:10

Key Bible Texts

The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. (Proverbs 18:15 KJV)