"What do I do if I don't know what my gifting is?"
"Do I have one gifting from God? I feel like a jack-of-all-trades."
"Does God ever a measure of faith that equals zero?" (I took this to mean, "I'm not sure I have enough confidence to serve God.")
Let's see if we can sort this out.
AGAIN, THE GIFTS ARE...?
There are four places (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4) in the New Testament where "spiritual gifts" are (somewhat) listed. All the lists are a bit different. I'll start at the end and work backward.
1 Peter 4 :10-11 appear to identify TWO broad-stroke CATEGORIES of the gifts. "If you speak, speak as it were the oracles of God; if you serve, serve in the strength that God supplies." SPEAKING gifts, and SERVING gifts. Since Peter's letter came wrote a bit later in the 1st century to the early church, he may well be representing a more mature categorizing of the gifts.
So the 1st question you might have is: Is my gift primarily a "speaking" (i.e., teaching, exhorting, etc) gift, or is it a "serving" (helping, administrating, etc.) type of gift?
Ephesians 4 identifies some KEY EQUIPPING/LEADERSHIP GIFTS which Jesus gave His body: Apostles, Prophets, Pastor-Teachers, Evangelists. These are more "leadership-equipping" giftings which serve the larger body, and help individual members get outfitted to "do the work of ministry" together as a body. Some have argued that the first two of thee gifts, "apostles" and "prophets," were more foundational to the early years of the church, and were revelatory in nature. That is, that God's Spirit used apostles and prophets to found the church (cf. Eph 2:20) and to give the church Scripture (i.e., God's words).
The other two - "pastor-teachers" and "evangelists" - appear to be more sustaining gifts. A "pastor-teacher" is one who equips the body through shepherding God's people and teaching what the apostles/prophets revealed (i.e., Scripture), while an "evangelist" is someone who is both effective at sharing the gospel broadly and equipping others to do the same.
1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 identify more of a LONGER LIST of "measure of faith" and GRACE GIFTINGS that the Holy Spirit distributes more broadly within Christians, members of the body of Christ. Again, some have observed that some of these gifts are more obviously miraculous in nature (like speaking prophesy, speaking in language/tongues, healing, etc.) while others are not "in the moment miraculous" but rather grace-giving kinds of gifts (serving, leading, administrating, helps, etc..
It is interesting that the Apostle Paul notes the "Holy Spirit distributes these to each one individually as He wills" (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:11). This description suggests that the Holy Spirit can give anyone any gift for the need of the moment. So that (perhaps) no one of us should say, "Well, my gift is healing." Rather, more accurately, we might be able to say, "You know, when I was in that situation, God's Spirit produced through me a gifting for healing in that person's life." In other word, the gift is not yours (or resident in you) but rather given by the Spirit, as He wills, for the need of the moment. We might call these SITUATIONAL giftings.
Finally, Romans 12 seems to teach that there is a "measure of faith" gifting that is endowed in a more ONGOING way, one that we each should use on a regular basis. Here's a summary chart
Leadership/Equipping Situational Ongoing
SPEAKING Apostles wisdom utterance teaching
Prophets knowledge utterance exhortation
Pastor-Teachers prophesy pastor-teachers
Evangelists various tongues evangelists
interpretation/tongues
SERVING faith service
healings giving/contributing
miracles leading
discerning spirit acts of mercy
helping
administrating
DISCOVERING GOD'S ENDOWMENT THROUGH YOU
From many years of personal and pastoral experience with people, I've discovered the following.
First, many of God's people have a PRIMARY gifting (that is, a "sweet" spot measure of faith), and also multiple secondary giftings. I attribute the latter to the simple idea that God's Spirit lives within and directs the flow of His grace through any one disciple in a variety of ways. So a person with a primary gifting of teaching may also be a very good server, or giver, or helper. But usually, each of us has a sweet-spot gifting from the Spirit, and we should (and can) discover what that is.
Second, DISCOVERY usually happens through being available to God for what your local church (or body needs), jumping in, and then letting the other body members affirm (or redirect) you in what they see in your life. For me, when I was young in the body of believers, many older believers saw me serving through my youth group. I tried a number of things, but what emerged and was identified by others was a teaching gift. I can remember dear saints initiating toward me, on their own, and saying, "David, this is what you do well...keep doing it."
Need in the bodies of believers are those who are keeping an eye on other believers, and affirming the good giftings they see emerging. So...jump in and serve. Volunteer to teach, or to lead, or to help, or to think through situations that need God's wisdom. There are plenty of opportunities, and then ask other "body" members what they see God doing in you.
Third, REMEMBER THAT ANY GIFTING NEEDS DEVELOPMENT. Paul told Timothy, "Fan into flame the gifting you have from God." That illustration is interesting. Ever try to start a fire? Sometimes you have to work at getting a spark to grow into a flame, and then even with more work (and the right elements added), to see it begin to be a fire. "Let your progress be evident to all," Paul also said to him. This means that usually, the "measure of faith" and "grace gifiting" will take some time to become more than a spark or little flame. So keep after it. Don't quite, even with mis-steps or when it "didn't go that well." Keep using what God has given you and fan it into flame.
Finally, DON'T GO IT ALONE. Your gifting is from God; more specifically, from His Spirit. It must be used in full dependence on Him, and through trusting in His power. None of us should think we are independent operators. Use your gifting humbly, prayerfully, dependently.
"To each," Paul reminds us, "the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
From many years of personal and pastoral experience with people, I've discovered the following.
First, many of God's people have a PRIMARY gifting (that is, a "sweet" spot measure of faith), and also multiple secondary giftings. I attribute the latter to the simple idea that God's Spirit lives within and directs the flow of His grace through any one disciple in a variety of ways. So a person with a primary gifting of teaching may also be a very good server, or giver, or helper. But usually, each of us has a sweet-spot gifting from the Spirit, and we should (and can) discover what that is.
Second, DISCOVERY usually happens through being available to God for what your local church (or body needs), jumping in, and then letting the other body members affirm (or redirect) you in what they see in your life. For me, when I was young in the body of believers, many older believers saw me serving through my youth group. I tried a number of things, but what emerged and was identified by others was a teaching gift. I can remember dear saints initiating toward me, on their own, and saying, "David, this is what you do well...keep doing it."
Need in the bodies of believers are those who are keeping an eye on other believers, and affirming the good giftings they see emerging. So...jump in and serve. Volunteer to teach, or to lead, or to help, or to think through situations that need God's wisdom. There are plenty of opportunities, and then ask other "body" members what they see God doing in you.
Third, REMEMBER THAT ANY GIFTING NEEDS DEVELOPMENT. Paul told Timothy, "Fan into flame the gifting you have from God." That illustration is interesting. Ever try to start a fire? Sometimes you have to work at getting a spark to grow into a flame, and then even with more work (and the right elements added), to see it begin to be a fire. "Let your progress be evident to all," Paul also said to him. This means that usually, the "measure of faith" and "grace gifiting" will take some time to become more than a spark or little flame. So keep after it. Don't quite, even with mis-steps or when it "didn't go that well." Keep using what God has given you and fan it into flame.
Finally, DON'T GO IT ALONE. Your gifting is from God; more specifically, from His Spirit. It must be used in full dependence on Him, and through trusting in His power. None of us should think we are independent operators. Use your gifting humbly, prayerfully, dependently.
"To each," Paul reminds us, "the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
Finding Your Gifting - Using Your Gift
ReplyDelete