1 Corinthians: A 35-Day Reading PlanSample

Do We All Have Spiritual Gifts?

If we’re willing to admit it, most of us who follow Jesus have wondered if we have a spiritual gift.

Just like any other type of comparison, it is often easier to see the spiritual gifts of others than it is to see our own. We can become so fixated on what we don’t have that we neglect to recognize and use our own gifts. Paul addressed this very problem with the church in Corinth when the comparison of spiritual gifts began causing division in the church.

There are not “levels” of spiritual gifts. Each gift is God’s, so all are equally powerful and just as special. To illustrate, let’s mentally step into a dark room for a moment. The room is full of people, and we each have a flashlight. We can shine our flashlights, or, we can watch others shine theirs and convince ourselves that their battery power must be stronger than ours because their light sure looks extra bright. If everyone starts comparing instead of turning on their flashlights, the room won’t get any lighter. But what if everyone turns their flashlights on at the same time? The combined power will overcome the darkness and light up the whole room.

God is all-powerful, and every gift He gives has the potential to be world-changing.  

We tend to do the same thing when it comes to spiritual gifts. We watch others, comparing their “results” to ours. Usually, our lack of results stems from a lack of movement. God’s power is not weak in some areas while strong in others. He is all-powerful, and every gift He gives has the potential to be world-changing.  

With the flashlight, we have exactly what we need to light up our surroundings. The light won’t shine, though, unless we turn it on. In the same way, we have everything we need through Jesus to light up our surroundings, using the gifts and tools He has given us.

Reflect:

• What is one of your spiritual gifts?
• What opportunities do you have right now to use your spiritual gift(s)?