How to Identify your Spiritual Gifts
How to identify your Spiritual Gifts
Any Believer who truly desires to understand their Spiritual Gifts will most likely be pointed to a Spiritual Gifts Test at some point in their life. These can be helpful tools but need to be kept in perspective. They are simply man-made tools intended to help us better understand how God has created us. We encourage you to try some out keeping in mind that the results of these tests should never become the final say in your journey of discovery.
Want to take a Spiritual Gifts Test?
How to Identify your Gifts without a Test? (Website source)
Now, this may take a bit more time than filling out a 30-60-minute test but the Author of your life knows you intimately and desires for you to become all he has created you to be.
Pray
This might sound obvious but if you have never had a conversation with God about the gifts he has given you may I suggest that is a really good place to start. Not only is he the one that created you and knows the plans he has for you, but he is also passionate about revealing himself, and teaching you to live in light of who he is and who he has created you to be. He longs to reveal himself and his gifts to you so you can live a full and purposeful life, contributing to the growth of his family and giving him glory. Ask him to show you the gifts he has given you and the places they would be welcomed and used.
Get in the Word
Begin by reading all the scriptures you can find on spiritual gifts, including Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12, 13,14; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:9-11. As always, read the verses before and after so that you can read them in context. Ask God to show you examples from his Word of where your gift might have been used in the past (2 Tim 3:16). God doesn’t change so if he has a gift for you today he had it for someone before you. Your situation may not be identical to those you read in the Bible but God and his message do not change!
Also, you may find it helpful to read a list of gifts and simple definitions. These can provide additional information that may help you see if you have a certain gift or not.
Pay attention
What are you drawn to? What areas are you noticing you are sensitive to? The reason this is important is that the Holy Spirit will plant seeds of interest in areas that he has called you to (1 Cor 12:11). Areas you didn’t pay attention to in the past will suddenly stand out to you in ways that seem natural and ordinary. But keep in mind it’s only natural and ordinary for YOU. Those with a different gift will see a situation from their gifting and will most likely respond differently.
For example, imagine you hear that a beloved, elderly member of your church has been admitted to the hospital. More than likely, your gifts will determine your response to this news.
- Those with the gift of mercy: Their heart will hurt at the news that someone is suffering. They very well might get teary-eyed as their heart is flooded with compassion for this dear person suffering.
- Those with the gift of faith: This person cares about their elderly friend but they aren’t distraught over this news. They have complete faith that God is at work and all will work out as He intends.
- Those with the gift of encouragement: They hear the news and set up a visit with the patient. They might bring flowers or balloons to brighten the room and encourage their friend. They bring hugs, smiles, and lots of laughter so that when they leave the patient is in a better, more godly, frame of mind.
- Those with the gift of helps: They know that this person has a few pets at home and babysits their grandbaby a few days a week. If able, the person operating in the gift of helps will desire to pitch in and take care of the pets and grandbaby while their elderly friend is in the hospital.
- Those with the gift of healing: They have the urge to head right to the hospital to anoint and pray for this person. Even if they cannot go to the hospital, they still have a strong urge to pray and see this person healed.
- Those with the gift of ministering: This person seeks to bring church to the patient. They might be concerned about the patient not being able to read the Bible or becoming discouraged listening to the lies of the enemy. They might stop in the read to the patient, offer comfort through prayer and a hug, or simply to the patient how faithful and loving God really is.
In addition, pay attention to the gifts you don’t have so that you are not tempted to put your effort into something God has not equipped you to do. Otherwise, the enemy can use guilt and discouragement to take you away from the areas God desires you to operate in.
Seek Confirmation
We are not meant to journey alone. All the gifts are given by one Spirit and he will often use other parts of the body to you discover just what part you are and what gift you have. Ask your spouse, trusted Christian friends, or church leadership to see what they feel your gifts are. Pick someone who is godly, knows you well, and will be honest with you. They might see something in you that you can’t see in yourself yet. God can use a simple comment from the important people he has placed in your life to confirm something he has already been speaking to you.
Let us know
As a Church, we see ourselves as a family where each person is uniquely created by God is created to help contribute in meaningful ways. We want to know how God has gifted you so we can support, encourage, and watch God use your gifts to build our body and bless the world.
