The apostle Paul says that God “arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.“ (1 Corinthians 12:18) That means there is a unique and special role for you and me in His body.
There are a number of keys to discovering our unique gifting and role God has designed for us:
1st Key: Understand which gifts are potentially yours. Study the list the various Spiritual gifts that God has given so that when you discover your gift(s), you will recognize them. The main passages are: Romans12:4‑8 and 1 Corinthians 12‑14.
2nd Key: Test your gift(s). You would never know that you could paint unless you put a brush to the canvas. Similarly, you will never know if you have special abilities unless you test them in the laboratory of life. Romans 12:2 says: “….be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The word for “prove” in the Greek can mean, “testing, often through actual use….” (Louw and Nida lexicon).
3rd Key: Examine your desires. Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do.” Isn’t it true that we tend to do a better job at things we enjoy doing? So it follows that if we have a certain gift we will have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction using it and we will desire to do it. “Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
4th Key: Evaluate your effectiveness. Gifted people get results. If you have the gift of administration, the organization will run smoothly. If you have the gift of evangelist, then people will get saved. When true gifts are in operation, whatever is supposed to happen will happen.
5th Key: Expect confirmation from others. If you think you have a certain gift and you are using it, ask others for their evaluation. Our spiritual gifts will be confirmed by those whose discernment we trust.
Did you know where the biggest cemetery is in the world? It is where unused talents are buried. Dig up your buried talents and put them to use. God has a special place for you on His team.
I’d love to hear how you’ve discovered your gifts. Help others in their quest by adding your comment.
