Last Sunday Father White talked about spiritual gifts, what they are and how they work and this idea of spiritual gifts come from 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and in this passage is a list of spiritual gifts:
- wisdom
- knowledge
- faith
- gifts of healing
- miraculous powers
- prophecy
- distinguish between spirits
- speaking in different tongues
- interpreting tongues
And the list could go on, but these are the ones Paul points out. I have looked at this list several times and while I imagine I have this one or that one, I found myself drawn to the spiritual gift of faith. Now don’t get me wrong I have doubted God and His endless abilities on several occasions but when it comes to sharing faith I’m in a zone, I feel God working through me. When I get students excited about a relationship with God, when I challenge friends and family to rely on God I feel His joy. Now some might say Chris you are good at speaking, you are good at managing, you are good at running and making pies but those are abilities, my gifts are expressed when I share my faith I feel His joy.
But their is a frustration I find with using this gift and it’s because I need to exercise my abilities of speaking in public, listening to others and learning more about solidarity with others, but when I believe, when I share and proclaim my faith…I feel free.
I want to encourage my ministers to discover and develop their gifts because it will only help them in how they serve. And I could be totally wrong about mine, but the more I discern it’s possibility the more it begins to make sense that faith is the one, especially with where I am and what I do. And I’ve come to this conclusion because I asked the question, “What is it that I do that helps me really feel God’s presence?” And that’s through testifying to His greatness…“What is it that you do?”