Often in the church – and other organizations – we recruit to fill an empty slot with any warm body, the first warm body to say yes. That is all we are looking for. Slot filled – we move on. This can be detrimental to the individual recruited and is almost always detrimental to the church (organization). Every person has natural abilities and special giftings when put to use in the proper settings, will produce quality results and effective production of effort.
Believers in Christ – those who come to a point in their life to accept Jesus as personal Lord and Savior over their entire being receive what is known as spiritual gifts. Before you were born God knitted you together so that your spiritual gifts, natural abilities and giftings all work together with your personality to accomplish great things. Along with these God also gives each person a passion. Your passion will always compliment your other gifting attributes. Your God-given passion will always point to the areas in which you are gifted.
Your gift mix, as described above, can be used in the church to build up the kingdom of God. It will also have an component to be used outside the walls of the church for the betterment of others. Being used inside or outside the walls of the church building, this gifting is always to be used to bring glory to God and to bring others into the awareness of who God is.
Oftentimes, churches fall short of assisting members in discovering and connecting their gift mix and applying that mix in ministry – serving others for God’s glory. I’ve known many churches over the years who have led their people to take “Spiritual Gift Inventories” to help discover their Spiritual Gifts. However, some churches never assist the members in moving forward with how to put those spiritual gifts to work serving others, building up the body of Christ.
Still other churches only use the spiritual gift inventories to help fill positions inside the church programs and committees. God’s giftings are much more valuable and have a greater intent than serving on committees or in some other capacity on Sunday morning inside the church building. Your gift mix is given to serve others seven days a week whether you find yourself in the nation’s capital or in Possum Trot, Kentucky.
As a born again believer your gift mix is not about you, but about the Savior you represent. Every person’s gift mix is to be used shining the light on the Creator of the universe. When properly utilized the way God knit you together in your mother’s womb, your gifting will draw people to understanding who God is and to be drawn to him.
Have you made the connection between your personality, spiritual gifts, and your natural God-given abilities? Have you attempted to connect them to your passions? What is your next step in discovering how God expects you to use your special gift mix for His glory?
by Dogwood