Are you using your spiritual gifts?
Recently, I had a conversation with my friend and fellow podcaster, Laura Padgett. We talked about discovering and using your spiritual gifts, which come from God.
We focused on Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, where he discusses some of the spiritual gifts given to us by God.
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.
God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.
He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT
Lessons learned
Laura shares some of the lessons she’s learned over the years in discovering and using her gifts.
She points out that the list of gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians is not exhaustive. There are many gifts which aren’t included here, but are still just as much given by God and designed to glorify Him as we accept and use them.
Many years ago Laura discovered one of her most important gifts is dance. She had danced for years in the secular world, but when she and a friend were at a women’s conference, she was inspired by the time set aside for sacred dance associated with worshiping God.
It opened up a whole new way for her to worship God and use the gift of dance He had given her.
Questions about using your spiritual gifts
Here are a few of the questions I asked Laura:
- What if someone doesn’t feel they have any gifts?
- How do you discover and your gifts from God?
- What if someone has had their gifts squelched or criticized by family, friends, or even the church?
Laura emphasized how important it is not to compare your gifts and talents to others’.
Everyone has spiritual gifts, abilities, and talents, from God. The best way to thank God is to use the gifts He has given you. In the process you will bless others and you will also be blessed.
Laura’s contact info:
Website: lauralpadgett.com/
Podcast: lauralpadgett.com/podcast-episodes/
Contact: https://lauralpadgett.com/contact-laura/
Books: Jesus in Shorts; Delores, Like the River lauralpadgett.com/jesus-in-shorts/
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
Bible References:
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.
5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.
6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.
10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
Proverbs 16:1-3 The Message Bible
1 Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.
2 Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
God probes for what is good.
3 Put God in charge of your work,
then what you’ve planned will take place.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
