And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28

I was thinking about gifts recently. No, not the kind that you find under the tree, but the spiritual gifts that God has placed within each of us. Do you know what your spiritual gift is? In his book ‘Revolution in the church’ Burrill (1993) suggests there are 5 steps to discovering what your spiritual gifts are.

1. Pray. This may seem an obvious starting point, but how often do we forget to talk to God, especially when it comes to the important decisions in our lives? The other aspect of the praying dynamic, is to listen!

2. Explore the possibilities. There are so many gifts mentioned in the bible and ours may not be the obvious one we think we have. The gifts inventory is not just limited to Romans 12:6-8. There are mentions in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28, Ephesians 4:11 and I could go on. Find out about as many gifts as you can and don’t limit the Holy Spirit.

3. Experiment with as many gifts as possible. Do you have just one gift? If so, how can you be sure? Try out as many as you think you are have. Receive training in that area and be realistic in your expectations.

4. Examine your feelings. Feelings are not the best criteria when it comes to deciding if you have a ministry in that gift. Nervousness or uneasiness the first time doing something can be confused with lack of satisfaction when it is done. However, this could led to enjoyment and confidence the more we use this gift and learn to understand how the Lord is leading in us.

5. Evaluate your effectiveness. Spiritual gifts have a specific purpose. God given gifts, when affirmed by insightful church brethren, can often lead to a stronger church and a more fulfilled life.

So, perhaps the best gift you could give this holiday season, is a prayerful word to someone to help them identify their spiritual gift.  Think about it.

Heritage Singers sing ‘Holy Spirit Rain Down’. Click on the picture to listen.