If Lent is the time for doing without, Eastertide is the time to try something new. We’re living in a new kingdom. A spirit of new life and restless growth is upon us. I’m going to propose an experiment as you approach Pentecost. Try some new spiritual gifts. We find out what we’re gifted at by trial and error. And because the gifts do not exist outside of community that means that you must often be seen as foolish by those that you are closest to. One of my most vivid memories from college was a small group of us in the church late in the evening praying and worshiping. We tried different spiritual gifts. Someone who had never spoken in tongues tried to do it. Someone else tried to prophecy. It was awkward, vulnerable and holy.
Faith is not just a quiet trust but can also be a terrifying display of courage. It’s fine to sing, “I believe in Jesus!” But what about those sick that need healing? And the spiritually troubled that need liberation? Our religion is boring because we are too timid. Our personal timidity has corporate effects. We are the Body of Christ and our diversity is a strength if different gifts are recognized, practiced and nurtured. As a lifelong Assemblies of God member, I confess that I am terrible at speaking in tongues. I can do it if I’m forced. And sometimes (usually when I’m scared speechless) I do pray in tongues. But it is certainly not my gift. I have a gift for teaching. My dream job would be Sunday School teacher. But in my denomination we have often been guilty of making tongues the entrance fee to earn your badge in an exclusive club. A young man at the Bible college here in Mozambique stutters when he preaches but sings like an angel. I am praying that he will be recognized for the spiritual gift he has and not rejected for the one he lacks.
Spiritual gifts are diverse by nature and like gifts they are especially selected for each person with care. Today is my daughter’s birthday. Everyone in the family has picked out something special for her, knowing her likes and interests and abilities. God is like that when he gives you a spiritual gift. He knows you very well. He created you and his gift for you is ideally suited to you.
But, how to discover your gift? You might begin with some research. Read 1 Corinthians 12-14, the key verse is this:Well, my brothers and sisters, let's summarize what I am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord. (1 Cor. 14:26, NLT)Another good place to look is the “words in red.” What were the things that Jesus said his disciples would do because he was returning to the Father and sending the Holy Spirit? Read this and ask yourself if you believe it:
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:11-14, NIV)And for a secular resource on giftedness try the StrengthsFinder Index. While the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can tell you how you’re different from others, StrengthsFinder helps you understand what you’re good at. See here for an interesting discussion of the correlation between the two tests: Strengths Finder/MBTI correlation.
There is a man in our village who is mentally ill, or demonically possessed, or something. Whatever it is, he’s deeply troubled and lives a filthy beggarly existence. I keep thinking that instead of giving him a coin or a handful of beans that I should lay hands on him and pray for his liberation. But frankly I’m scared. It’s risky and uncomfortable. Do you have something risky like that that you’re feeling you should do but aren’t because you’re afraid of failure or embarrassment? Perhaps discovering our gifts requires a risk-taking faith.
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Comments (9)
Maybe I can clear something up here. There is a difference between speaking in tongues in public with an interpretation (one of the 9 gifts of the Spirit) and praying in tongues as part of your private devotional life. I believe the prayer and praise language is something that is available to everyone who asks. On the day of Pentecost the Lord didn’t divide up the 9 gifts on the 120 disciples gathered. They all spoke in tongues. At Cornelius’s house the Lord didn’t divide up the 9 gifts on the assembled group, they all spoke in this prayer and praise language. In Ephesus in Acts 19, the Lord didn’t distribute discerning of spirits, interpretation of tongue, healing and words of wisdom on the assembled group. It says they all spoke with tongues and prophesied. In fact, speaking in tongues was the only new gift added in the new testament, all the others had been practiced in the Old Testament. Jesus said that speaking in tongues would accompany the great commission in Mark. Paul clears up the picture further when speaking to the Corinthians. They had all been speaking in tongues loudly in public meetings open to unbelievers. Paul said they weren’t edifying the group and instead they were causing unbelievers and the ungifted to say they were mad. He urged them to limit the public speaking in tongues to two or three per meeting and to always have an interpretation (which is functionally equal to prophecy). Then he taught them how to pray. “Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you.” Then he closed his teaching with the comment that, “I’m glad I speak in tongues more than you all”. What some don’t understand or prefer to ignore is the theologian who wrote the Book of Romans and most of the New Testament prayed in tongues a lot. Even more than those pesky Corinthians who seemed to have a problem with speaking in tongues too much. I have never been prompted by the Spirit to speak in tongues in a public meeting. As Paul says, not everyone does that. But I pray in tongues daily.
None of the 9 gifts of the Spoirit are greater than any other and we should be extremely honored to be used by the Holy Spirit in any one of the nine ministry gifts. And it is great that you are willing to step out in faith and seek to be used by God in any one of these.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are only tools that equip us to do the work of discipleship, and also tools to assist us to become Christlike. We should not mistake the gifts of the Holy Spirit as the fruit of the Spirit.
The path is not the destination, but it brings us there when we walk on it. We need the gifts of the Spirit to help us bear fruit, but once it is done, the gifts are no longer needed.
Paul did mention in 1st Corithians 13:1-13 that we shouldn't be too caught up in possessing the gifts of the Spirit, because they are only profitable only when the heart is completely changed by the Holy Spirit.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."
Then Paul continued,
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
Scripture interprets scripture. Whatever that Rick has said earlier must be seen in the light of 1st Corithians 13:1-13. If not, we might just get carried away by the Charismatic Movement, and forget out first love, who is Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
I don't have a solution for you. But thank you for expressing your vulnerability and fear, which are a reflection of what is so often mine.
I completely agree with you. You are so right. Jesus is our first love, our pearl of great price.