When It's Better to Receive: Receiving and Using Spiritual Gifts ...

Written by Carol Peterson

God?s Baby Shower

Baby showers are so much fun. Family and friends of a young woman expecting a baby overwhelm her with blankets, bonnets and bibs. Because that?s what we do to welcome a child. And to help prepare the baby for life in this world.

When we become God?s children, God?who already has showered us with overwhelming gifts?gives us even more gifts. He gives us ?spiritual gifts? to welcome us into His family and to prepare us to do His work in this world.

Many sections of our Bible describe spiritual gifts. Lynn Mosher?s article, I Have Spiritual Gifts? does a great job describing some of those gifts.

It is hard to know how we would use the spiritual gift of miracles. And even the gift of speaking in tongues or interpreting it is hard to explain. But what about some of the other, more commonly seen spiritual gifts? How could a young woman in the twenty-first century use a spiritual gift to be God?s hands and feet in this world?

God Shows Us Needs He Wants Us to Fill

Let?s assume there?s a local family in need. The wife has been hospitalized. The husband is struggling to care for two young children, while working a full-time job. The family is new to the town, with no church home. How could a group of spiritually gifted young women show God?s love to that family?

Suzanne has the spiritual gift of mercy. Her heart was touched when she learned of the family. Suzanne?s bible study group regularly raises money to support overseas missions. Suzanne however, has a heart for showing people Christ?s love on a personal basis. So she brought the idea to her group of helping the family.

Rhonda has the spiritual gift of administration. When the group decided to help the family, Rhonda phoned the husband. She found out their address, the names and ages of the children, the schools they attend. She determined how the group could best help the family, created a sign-up schedule for driving the children to and from school, grocery shopping, bringing in meals, after-school child care, and house cleaning.

Norma has the spiritual gift of helps. She worked with Rhonda to make phone calls and follow-ups to make sure everyone remembered what they promised to do.

Delaney has the spiritual gift of giving. She works, has three young children and very little time. But she has a certain amount of money she can donate so others in her group can help the family.

Martha, Ann and Toni have the spiritual gift of service. With the cash donated by Delaney and others in the group, they purchased essential items for the family and took turns helping with after school childcare.

Becky has the spiritual gift of hospitality. She invited the group to her home to cook up batches of dinners for the freezer. Then group members delivered those dinners according to Rhonda?s schedule. Becky knows that hospitality also means showing care to others in THEIR homes.

Josie has the spiritual gift of evangelism. When it was her turn to deliver a meal to the family, she said a soft grace and prayed aloud for the wife?s health and the family?s strength. Over time, she gently shared her testimony with the family and invited them to church.

Yvonne has the spiritual gift of faith. At the beginning of each planning meeting, at each visit at the family?s home, when visiting the mother in the hospital and throughout the entire time the group helped the family, she prayed.

Marilyn has the spiritual gift of leadership. As the group began working with the family, she saw a need to help other families in the community. Marilyn created an ongoing, church wide outreach ministry.

No one person could have done as good of a job helping the family as the group did when they worked together. And when each woman used her specific spiritual gift as God intended.

Even if We Don?t Know It

We all have spiritual gifts. We don?t always know what they are or how to use them. We recognize though that we are often naturally led to do certain types of things. When there is a need, one person might pray first. Another person might first offer counsel. A third person might perform a service. What we naturally do first may be an indication of God?s specific spiritual gift to us.

Scripture reminds us:

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord?It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. (1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 11)

The important thing is not whether we can name our spiritual gift. The more important thing is to be aware when God shows us a need and then respond to it.

That is using our spiritual gifts.

That is letting God use us as His hands and feet in this world.

That is really cool!

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Carol Peterson

Read articles written by Carol Peterson

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Visit her blog: From Carol?s Quill

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