Each of Us Has a Gift Given by the Holy Spirit
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, this week as we consider the gifts you have given us, help us ascertain if we are using them appropriately. Amen
“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers, and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
“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. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” I Corinthians 12:1, 4-11 (NIV)
REFLECT:
When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a Vo-Ag teacher because I had an uncle who was one and it would allow me to continue working in the agricultural field. I started college majoring in Ag Education and soon found I was not gifted for working in Ag-Ed. In welding class, I could only burn holes, not weld seams. My mechanical skills were zilch! This would not work for someone who is training young men and women to be farmers.
I cast about through several majors searching for direction before deciding to go to the counseling center for their advice on what would work for me. They pointed me in the direction of teaching elementary school. This was a new thought which had never occurred to me. I switched to elementary education, and it was a perfect fit for me. Teaching and education have been my life’s work and it has been fulfilling. It has been even more rewarding since the Holy Spirit has led me into teaching Bible to adults.
APPLY:
Each of us needs to find our gifting from the Holy Spirit and use it properly for his benefit. Several years ago, I read a book called Greening of the Church by Finley Edge in which he gives a strategy for determining your calling: 1) You are excited about the idea/gift; 2) You cannot stop thinking about the possibilities of it; 3) Others tell you it is a perfect fit for you. This has worked well throughout my life. Your service to God will be much more rewarding if you are using the appropriate gift the Holy Spirit has given you.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, I know you state in your Word, “to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Help me to find my appropriate gift to serve you. Amen
WORSHIP: