Spiritual Gifts 101: How? (Part 2)

The most frequently asked question about spiritual gifts is, “How do I know which gifts I have?” The best way is to start serving and then notice where God works through you to impact others. But another method to identify your gifts is to ask yourself a series of questions:

Does this gift energize you?
Using your spiritual gifts will keep your battery fully charged. You’ll enjoy what you are doing, experience greater personal fulfillment, and look forward to the next time you serve people in this way. The opposite will be true if you serve in a way that doesn’t utilize your gifts. Over time you’ll notice your energy being depleted. At best you’ll merely tolerate the task, leave feeling unfulfilled, and avoid similar situations in the future.

Do you consistently think about this gift?
Think about what you think about. Do you think about hurting people – the poor, sick, abandoned, mistreated, and forgotten? Perhaps you have the spiritual gift of mercy. Do you find yourself at times think about starting a new ministry at your church? Maybe you have the gift of apostleship. Or do you think about the steps to take to fold a church event? It could be that you have the gift of administration.

Do you experience promptings when using this gift?
The Bible captures the idea of God speaking – or whispering – in one verse. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21). In other words, it doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing; if you listen for God’s voice, He’ll communicate with you in a gentle whisper. When God whispers to you while engaging in ministry, you probably are using your spiritual gift. Listen for His gentle whisper.

Does God provide opportunities for you to use this gift?
God has been at work in you throughout your life, and even before you were born. Along life’s journey you probably have helped out in a variety of serving situations. Maybe you coached your child’s sports team. Or perhaps you served as an usher at your church. Whatever opportunities have come your way were intentionally given to you by God to prepare you for your unique ministry assignment. Is there a pattern to the opportunities God has given you to serve others? Have you found yourself helping those who are hurting? Maybe your gift is mercy. Or do you tend to pitch in and help wherever needed? Then consider the gift of helps. When you hear someone is ill, is prayer your first response? Your gift might be intercession.

Do you sense God’s presence using this gift?
Using your spiritual sense of God’s presence is one of the most important means of identifying your spiritual gifts. Start serving in a church ministry. As you serve, notice the times you sense God’s presence. Listen for His still, small voice whispering to you in your soul. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” If God is at work through you, you’ll know it and He will confirm it within you through your sense of His presence.

Do you see God’s blessing using this gift?
Has there been a time when God used to bless others? Have you said or done something that blessed others through you? What did you say or do which resulted in the blessing? Your words or action may be an indicator of your spiritual gift. Perhaps you listened to someone in pain and shared with them a meaningful Bible verse. Consider the possibility that you have the gift of encouragement.  Maybe you sensed a message from God, and sharing it with the church brought blessing to the congregation. Then perhaps you have the gift of prophecy. Or have you ever developed a plan for a ministry project that was an overwhelming success. You might have the gift of administration.

Is the impact on others something only God could do?
There will be times when using your gift that the impact on others will be extraordinary; that is, it will be greater than you can attribute to your own abilities. Something will happen that is beyond your power to produce. You will confirm your spiritual gift when the effect on others could only have occurred through God’s power. This extraordinary impact will not occur every time you utilize your spiritual gift. The effect on others is up to God based on His purposes for the people you serve. But you ought to be able to point to instances where something happened that was “a God thing.”

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