What are spiritual gifts?

“Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us.” ~ Ephesians 4:7

What's your hidden (or not-so-hidden) talent?

What's something you're naturally good at and enjoy? Could be anything, from cooking a delicious meal for your family, being excellent with crunching numbers and handling logistics for your local church, to speaking the faith boldly and sharing the Gospel with those you don't know. All of these are specific, God-given abilities that allow you to further the Kingdom of heaven—whether you realize it or not. 

When we talk about spiritual gifts, we're not talking about some lofty, unattainable competencies that the glorious few are gifted with.

On the contrary, God has gifted each and every one of us with a unique ability to share His goodness and truth in a very specific way. 

Consider this passage of scripture: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” ~1 Corinthians 12:4-7

It's not so much something we inherently possess, but it's a way that God is actively moving in our lives. He's revealing His power and creativity through us, as vessels.

How did they come about?

Once Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He explained to His disciples how He would now be leaving the earth, but they wouldn't be alone. He would leave behind a helper, called the Holy Spirit. 

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you.” ~ John 14:16-17

As we see later on in the beginning of Acts, the Holy Spirit is an active, moving entity, gifted to God's people at Pentecost. Not only does the Holy Spirit provide wisdom, but also bestows gifts to further the Kingdom of God. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are what we call spiritual gifts, and they can be many things from leading the church, speaking in tongues, to hospitality. 

The point here is to understand that these gifts are directly from God.

They're not something we earned by good works. We must reflect any of our earthly talent back to God and give credit where it's due. We also must use these spiritual gifts within the church and beyond, in order to point people back to Jesus.

How do I know what my spiritual gift is? 

Again, think back to what you're naturally good at and enjoy. A spiritual gift should speak to your nature and not really feel like work at all. Consider listing out your hobbies or capabilities and see if something strikes a chord. 

There are many opinions on spiritual gifts and what actually is considered to be one. Here is a good list from an article we found to be helpful:

Administration, Apostleship, Discernment, Evangelism, Exhortation/Encouragement, Faith, Giving, Helping, Knowledge, Leadership, Mercy, Pastoring, Service, Teaching.

We recommend taking a peek at that article listed above, since it breaks down every single spiritual gift and where it's mentioned in the Bible. How cool is that?

We hope that by spending some time on this list you're able to connect with what your gift is, and how you can enact it for good. It's freeing to discover what yours is because you're unlocking a new piece of your identity, and through it, you're getting to know your Creator better, too. 

If you walk away from this blog post identifying your gift, that's incredible! The next step is figuring out how to use it to serve God's people.

How can I use mine for good?

Needless to say, you have not been gifted something so precious to do in isolation. As a Christian, it's incredibly important that you're an active part of the body of Christ, and that means being involved in your local church and community. 

Whatever God-given skills or abilities you bring to the table, they should be used to point others to His glory. 

Now is the time to brainstorm how you can use these talents of yours to serve your local church, and beyond. For example, if you're gifted with administrative work and organization, consider volunteering to help out with administrative tasks at church. If you're gifted with teaching, consider leading a church small group or ladies Bible study. 

Whatever your gift, there is a need for you, right here and now. 

Inspiration for Every Day

 There's another way to share the hope of the Gospel, besides using your spiritual gifts. We created faith-based apparel so you can share Jesus' love without even saying a word! Imagine who you can touch with our t-shirts and accessories. Shop our Christian t-shirts now and stock up on some stylish, meaningful clothes that you'll love to wear and showcase. 

Shop Our Christian Tees