Focusing EffortSample

LET YOUR GIFTS FIND YOU

When Jesus ascended, He gave gifts to His people (Eph. 4:8). Spiritual gifts are the dynamo of the community of Christ-followers. They have one purpose: “So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church” (1 Cor. 14:12). When each person uses their spiritual gifts, people get better, stronger, and everybody wins. The best way to discover your spiritual gifts is to let your gifts find you.

Spiritual gifts will find you when you get engaged in the lives of others. God loves to steer a moving “boat,” even if it fearfully leaves the dock without knowing exactly where it’s going. When you get moving, you’ll find two things:

1. You begin to get pulled along with a gifting that lifts others.

2. Other people will, in time, recognize and affirm those gifts as they are lifting the lives of those around you.

When your gifts discover you, it’s a one-two punch: self-discovery and affirmation. God can and will direct you into your sweet spot when you move into the community of Christ-followers and witness God indeed using you to help others discover their gifts. And on this note of helping others—that’s exactly how your gift is confirmed. Gifts are to edify. God gives them to build up the broader body of Christ. That’s the ultimate test of hitting your unique design and role in the church.

Gifts “tests” are a great place to begin your search, but they’re not the end-all. The very best way I’ve seen people discover gifts and receive affirmation is by engaging in the life and lives of the body of Christ. Explore and push the boundaries of conventional wisdom. Sometimes the gift you have is outside the box of what you might have imagined. The gifts God gives us can be completely different from any talents we use to do our job or enjoy a hobby.

If you try something and it’s not a good fit, move to another slot and keep moving until you find a fit. Also, don’t let people shift you or promote you out of your gifting. You can be crushing it in one area and slide into a role that is not your gift or your joy. Stay in the sweet spot with God. It’s truly an adventure.

GET FOCUSED:

• Discovering what God has placed within you is like looking for treasure. Remove from your thinking all the perceived constraints like finances, distance, and your capacity; anything that may limit your thinking has to go. These questions will help you narrow in on your passions as you search your heart.
  • What issue gets your heart beating fast?
  • What people do you most want to help?
  • What big problem do you want to solve?
  • What is the solution you want to provide?
• Letting God’s gifts discover you requires that you look outside of yourself and hear from others. Honest input from others is most critical. Receiving feedback from several different people who know you and have seen you engage with others is essential. Stress for them how important it is that they not feel like you need to be affirmed as much as you desire your true gifts to be confirmed. These questions will help you determine your gifts as you hear from others what they see, not just what you believe.
  • Have you seen me lift up people?
  • How specifically was I used to lift up people?
  • What do I offer people that would be lacking without me?
  • What would you like to see me focus on to strengthen my gifting?