Steps to Discover Your Spiritual Gifts
For those who are eager to discover your spiritual gifts, you are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and ready to receive! Here are some practical steps to help you discover your spiritual gifts, positioning you to take part in the Kingdom work that God has for you!
What Are Spiritual Gifts?
When seeking to discover your spiritual gifts, it is crucial that you understand the difference between God-given gifts and spiritual gifts.
God-Given Gifts:
These gifts consist of all the good things that we are blessed with. God’s Word reminds us that all good things are from God. These have been described as natural abilities and talents. God blesses everyone with various natural abilities and talents.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”—James 1:17
Spiritual Gifts:
These gifts are reserved for Believers. Spiritual gifts are only made possible through the Holy Spirit. When a Believer puts their faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation, an adoption takes place in the heavenly realm. Their name is written in the Book of Life. That person then inherits the Holy Spirit’s gift, which is when their spiritual gift is born.
“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…”—Romans 12:4-6
Simply put, spiritual gifts result from a Believer’s faith and are used to strengthen the faith of others and to grow the Church.
5 Practical Ways That You Can Discover Your Spiritual Gifts
Please understand that every Believer has at least one spiritual gift. In other words, no one covered by the blood of the Lamb is exempt from possessing a gift and a purpose.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:”—1 Corinthians 12:7 (emphasis added)
Use these five practical steps to begin your journey to discover your spiritual gifts and align yourself with the Father’s will…
- Pray: It may sound simple, but it is a step that is often overlooked. Ask God to reveal your spiritual gifts to you.
What better way to discover your spiritual gifts than to ask the Creator Himself what He has anointed you for? Allow yourself space and time for discovery. Prayer should not be rushed!
- Seek: Seek to understand the many gifts of the Spirit and their functions in the Church. The best place to start, when it comes to understanding spiritual gifts, is the Bible.
God’s Word reveals much about spiritual gifts and how they operate within the body of Christ. Seek to understand the spiritual gifts and how the early Church developed in and through those gifts.
- Discover: Discover your godly strengths. Take inventory of the opportunities that have been afforded you. For instance, do you often find yourself serving in similar roles? If so why? Try not to confuse comfort in serving with your spiritual gift. It may take some time to get comfortable with your gift.
Be mindful of how you feel while serving, a spiritual gift will stretch you to call on the strength of the Holy Spirit while still allowing you the freedom to enjoy the process. You should never feel chaotic or bogged down when you are serving in alignment with your spiritual gift.
- Act: In order to discover your spiritual gifts, you will have to take action. Put into practice all that you have learned about yourself in the three previous steps. Place yourself into situations that align what you have learned about spiritual gifts and your godly strengths.
Keep in mind that labeling your gift is no more important as operating in it. All too often, Believers get caught up in labeling their gift and miss out on the unique design of spiritual gifts.
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”—1 Corinthians 12:4
- Discern: Ask yourself how other Believers provide feedback pertaining to your spiritual gifts. For instance, if you feel you have been given the gift of faith, others will notice your ability to remain faithful through hard times and communicate that to you.
When you are gifted in a particular area, people will be inclined to notice. If you are hearing the same thing over and over, that could be a good indicator of what your spiritual gift may be.
Operating within Your Spiritual Gifts
The best way for you to start operating within your gifts is to open your eyes and heart to the existing needs around you. Spiritual gifts are like muscles. They need to be exercised to become efficient at performing.
Therefore, it makes sense that when you are on a journey to discover your spiritual gifts, the Lord will present you with opportunities for spiritual maturity. These are intended to move you into new levels of operation.
As you start to exercise your gift, you will be strengthening your spiritual muscle to be more efficient for God’s Kingdom work in your family and community.
“Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”—1 Corinthians 14:12 (Emphasis added)
Your spiritual gift is part of a bigger Kingdom plan—expanding the authority of the Church in the new era. God’s plans are guaranteed. This means that you only need to walk in faithful obedience, acting upon the opportunities in front of you to discover your spiritual gifts.