Today our org president asked us to do the spiritual gifts test. At first, I was slightly hesitant because at the back of my mind, I already know my spiritual gifts. On top of my list are these: faith, administration, and mercy.
On first try, however, I got Faith, Serving, and Pastoring. Faith? Check. Serving? Check. Pastoring? Really? I was surprised to get that Pastoring! Then I thought maybe I wasn’t so true about who I really am when I was answering the questions. So I did the test again, and I still got the same results.
Oh Lord. Maybe I was just anxious. I know you are calling me to shepherd Your people, especially the lost but thinking about it makes me feel incapable. I feel like, can I really do this? Do I have the qualities for shepherding? This is really out of my comfort zone. I can’t believe that this is my gift.
But then again, as I was answering the questions, it made me think “These should be the things I’m doing for the Lord and for His kingdom!” I mean, there’s a certain joy to see myself doing these things, being like these, being used by God through these gifts. It’s making me anxious but there’s also an exciting feeling about it. It made me excited about how God will use me mightily through this gift which I never thought I have! Can't you feel me? It’s like another way that God would reveal himself to me, by letting me see the wonders of His works. Isn’t that exciting!
On a serious note, I believe that all of us Christians should have all these spiritual gifts–we should all be using and exercising these gifts whenever opportunities or situations call for it. And yet some gifts are more apparent or dominant for some people, while some others are not. These gifts, they are able to exercise accordingly through the different avenues or ministries they handle. For example, in the churches, those who have gifts of leadership, pastoring, knowledge, or teaching, they often serve as the pastors, ministers, or evangelicals; whereas those who have gifts of administration, service, or hospitality, they are more commonly seen in churches as the ushers, volunteers, committee heads, and others. As we can see here, yes, we all have different dominant gifts, but these differences are so beautifully designed so that we can work in unity--complementing each other through our gifts, working hand-in-hand--as one body, with Christ as our head.
This activity reminded me today that these spiritual gifts, since they are God-given and unique for each one, should be used to testify of Jesus Christ, to edify the church, and glorify God. There are a lot of service opportunities or areas of service where we can utilize our gifts. It’s now up to us to discover them and to willingly commit to them.
So here are my top 3 gifts: Faith. Serving. Pastoring.
[As for me, let it be my heart’s desire that my gifts be utilized for God: for the advancement of His kingdom, the building of the Body of Christ, ultimately for His glory. Amen.]