“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11
Have you ever looked at someone and admired them so much you wish you could do the things they do? I know I have! Boy, I can let that old ugly green eyed monster creep into my head at the drop of a hat. I actually used to be a lot worse about it than I am now. Not saying I have attained some level where I never do that, but I’m not as bad as I used to be. The fact is, we are all gifted by the Holy Spirit with attributes and characteristics that just seem almost to come naturally to us.
Let’s think about and look at our church. I know that at my church we have different people who seem to fulfill different roles. I am sure that’s the same for your church as well. I know I have been guilty before of being a little jealous of someone else’s role. But the truth is, the Holy Spirit has gifted each and every one of us for our callings and when put together and working in harmony it is a beautiful thing for our churches. I love the way Paul breaks it down here. He says there are varieties of gifts, there are varieties of service, there are varieties of activities but they all come from the same God. And when they work together they are working for the common good, the common good for the kingdom, the common good for the church, (little c, the overall church), the common good for our Church (our own fellowship), the common good for our families and our own communities too.
Paul also breaks down some of the gifts that we see. He says some have the gift of faith, some the gift of wisdom, some will have the gift of healing and some the working of miracles or prophecy, or discernment. Paul says that all are empowered by the same Spirit and that it is the Spirit who decides who gets what gift.
I think too, (and this is completely my thoughts), that our giftings can come and go. They can be for different seasons in life. I know that I have times that I felt one gift was stronger than at another time. For instance my faith, while it is strong most of the time, there are times that I feel I waiver. I feel I have a gift of words that come only from Him. If I am being totally honest most of the time that I set my computer in my lap to write these devotions, I have no clue what I am going to say. And as I write I truly feel that the Holy Spirit is giving me the words AS I write. If you had asked me 10 minutes before I wouldn’t have a clue what I was going to say. I know that I have had times where I felt I had a gifting for service in my church in a certain direction and then suddenly I will feel I am being pulled into another direction to serve. In my younger years of my faith journey I would often question those times and wonder if I had heard God correctly. I have learned to let myself follow where He is gifting me to serve and to realize that just because he may be gifting me for one area of service today that does not mean that will be my area of service forever. He may have another plan for me next month, or next year. I have also learned that when I cling to the gifting, I may be robbing someone else of their gifting.
What gift has the Holy Spirit given you? Are you being gifted for a teaching role, or a leadership role? Whatever gifts He has given you or lain on your heart, you can be assured He is doing so to lead you into some service to Him. And the ways we serve Him are to serve His people and His church. If you aren’t sure, what gifts you’ve been given, spend some time in prayer today to ask Him. Ask Him what your gifts are and then ask Him how He wants you to serve Him with your gifts. Where can you serve, and what activities would He have you to be involved in? He gives us our gifts so that we can give our gifts away.
Restore 