The You … You Are: Spiritual Gifts by Natural Abilities, Part 2

You often can identify your spiritual gifts by looking at your natural abilities. The spiritual impact on others may be even greater when your gifts and abilities are complementary.  For example, my primary spiritual gift is teaching, but I also have a natural set of abilities in teaching. My gift and ability work together in a one-two combination that is greater than either one working alone.

However, it’s also true that your gifts and abilities may not be the same. God has a way of working through your weaknesses so that His power is evident in your life. For example, I have a natural set of abilities in leadership. As a school superintendent, leadership was vital to my role. But I do not have the spiritual gift of leadership. When I’ve served in leadership roles I didn’t see evidence of an extraordinary impact that could only be attributable to the Holy Spirit.

Listed below are the four remaining categories of natural abilities. The spiritual gifts related to the abilities are defined underneath the appropriate category.

INTERPERSONAL: Your strength is people-skills.

Encouragement / Exhortation literally means “to call to one’s side.” Those with this gift walk alongside believers struggling with their faith to comfort, admonish, or implore others to return to Christ.

Healing literally means “to restore to health and wholeness.” Those with this gift bring physical, emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual healing as a Christian testimony.

Hospitality literally means “loving strangers and being generous to guests.” Those with this gift invite others into their homes in a setting that promotes fellowship and spiritual conversations.

Mercy literally means “to help one afflicted or seeking aid.” Those with this gift care for the sick, hurting, lonely, forgotten, or dying with acts of cheerful compassion.

Shepherding literally means “to guide, feed, tend, and oversee the flock.” Those with this gift care for the spiritual welfare of a group of believers.

LEADERSHIP: Your strength is charisma.

Leadership literally means “to stand before.” Those with this gift have a God-given vision for building up the Church that draws people to it like a magnet.

ORGANIZATIONAL: Your strength is precision.

Administration literally means “to pilot, guide, or steer.” Those with this gift determine the best way to accomplish a goal or fulfill a vision by bringing order out of chaos.

PRACTICAL: Your strength is know-how.

Helps literally means “to serve, wait upon, or minister.” Those with this gift willingly and joyfully do whatever needs to be, therby freeing up others to do their ministry.

Using this post and the last one, have you been able to identify your primary spiritual gift through your top natural ability? If you think you know your gift, start using it in serving others. As you try out this top gift notice whether: 1) you are energized; 2) there’s a definite effect on others; and 3) and the outcome is extraordinary – beyond your ability to bring about. Once you see these three signs, you’ll know it’s your gift. If you not, then try your second most likely gift and keep going until you discover it.

But above all, don’t be a spectator sitting in the stands! Get out on the field and into the game!!

© 2011 Designed to Serve®