Spiritual gifts   

God is our Father, and His heart is to give good gifts to His children. 

One of the most profound ways that He does this is through the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, He gives gifts according to who we are and how He can work in and through us to bless other people. So today let’s look at the third group of giftings.

Spiritual gifts 

These are supernatural gifts (not magic) that come from the Holy Spirit.

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)

These are not for super Christians or special Christians. They’re for everyday, regular Christians like you and me! 

I encourage you to read the whole 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians to cover them all. But it’s enough to say for now that there are a variety of gifts – and they are wonderful, wonderful blessings from God. 

Yet the most important thing that we should pursue is love. We should strive for spiritual gifts because God wants to give them to each one of us (1 Corinthians 14:1), but the most important thing is that we walk in love and use our gifts to benefit others.

So with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:12)

God is good, supernatural, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving… and God pours out gifts through His people into other people’s lives. Sometimes they’re unusual; sometimes they’re scary; sometimes it’s a huge step of faith to lay your hands on someone and pray for their healing. 

But remember that our Father is a Father of joy. He wants to give good gifts, free gifts, to each one of us – to you! So take them, grow them, use them – and pour out His blessings on the people in your life. Because a good gift is made to pass on!

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I know that You are a loving God; a God so amazing that I can’t begin to figure You out. And I know, too, that You created me in Your image.

Thank You, Lord God, for giving me a motivational gifting (as seen in Day 1). Lord, help me to truly discern who it is that You’ve made me to be, so that I can set about fulfilling the plans that You have for my life by doing the good works that You prepared beforehand for me to do.

And Lord, help me to discern with wisdom and humility whether You are calling me to exercise a leadership gift (as seen in Day 2). Remove all pride and hubris from my heart. Lead me into humble service. Give me a servant’s heart. 

And finally, Lord, I pray that You would give me a desire, a deep hunger, for Your spiritual gifts and to excel in them; a desire for Your Spirit; a desire for this world to be blessed by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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