Who Me, Gifted?Sample

Spiritual Gifts vs. Natural Talents

Spiritual gifts are not the same as natural talents. Every human being, Christian and non-Christian alike, is created in God's own image, and by virtue of being created in God's own image, we are born with natural talents. But the gifts of the Holy Spirit are different from the natural talents we are born with.

Talents inspire and entertain, but spiritual gifts build up the body of Christ. Something supernatural happens when a gift is exercised that does not happen when talent is used. Make no mistake though; the Lord can use a talent, as well as a spiritual gift, to glorify His name.

When the fruit of the Spirit is absent, gifts lose their effectiveness. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." The fruit of the Spirit should be evident in all who abide in Christ, but not all the gifts are given to all believers. The fruit of the Spirit defines who a believer is, but the gifts of the Spirit define what a believer does.

Prayer: God, I pray that the fruit of the Spirit would be evident in my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

"Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit" (Matthew 7:17).