The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts; however, they will remain dormant if we do not accept them, explore them, develop them, and finally, use them for the common good. The process from accepting our spiritual gifts to using them for the common good may differ slightly for each spiritual gift we have been given. Here is what happened for me.
I thanked God for my gifts, naming each one aloud slowly and letting each gift gently envelop me with an acceptance of the responsibility to explore and develop my gifts to be used in accordance with God’s will. My question was, “Where and how do I begin?”
The most familiar gift I have explored, developed, and used repeatedly throughout my life in a variety of settings is the gift of administration. I feel like that is my “go-to” gift. I prayed for God to guide me in using this gift to create a spiritual gifts ministry that would serve everyone in our church and provide an opportunity for my two team members to do the same, each of us using our spiritual gifts for our work together.
The fact that there was no curriculum and no plan mapped out for me to follow did not deter my enthusiasm. I had already experienced God calling this forth in a variety of ways. In my past, I developed a nontraditional job training program for at-risk women on my organic vegetable farm in northern California. I also was the program director for an organization that provided shelter for homeless women and children in New York City. Another experience I had over the course of 20 years was writing coaching curricula for many life coach training programs, retreats, and conferences. So, I knew without a doubt that God would once again guide me in creating a spiritual gifts ministry at my church according to His will.
As I write this, I am becoming aware of the strength of my spiritual gift of faith. I have felt this strength over the years but did not realize until now that it is the spiritual gift of faith, entrusted to me by God. The description of faith as a spiritual gift says, “The spiritual gift of faith is an unshakable trust and a deep conviction that God faithfully and reliably keeps promises.” So, relying on God’s promise to help me, I mapped out a plan, wrote curricula for spiritual gifts workshops, created handouts, and along with my team members facilitated workshops for others to discover, explore, develop, and use their spiritual gifts. Throughout our journey together, for nearly one year, each of us added to, enhanced, affirmed, supported, and helped create a spiritual gifts ministry for our church!
Reflecting on my life, it is clear to me that God used my gift of faith. This faith that is beyond the saving faith God gives to all Christians led me to step forth into this unknown journey of creating a spiritual gifts ministry for my church by obeying God’s calling. I had an unshakable trust and deep conviction that God would faithfully and reliably keep His promise found in Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
This extraordinary gift of faith inspired a confidence in me to believe God can accomplish what seems humanly impossible. My gift of faith motivated me to risk and to be used by God to accomplish His work in the face of seemingly difficult challenges. My job has been to remember God’s promise, to pray, to listen, and to obey God’s calling.
Do you have a “go-to” spiritual gift? Is God calling you to use that gift in your faith community—in familiar or perhaps new ways?
As you pray over your spiritual gifts, listen for God’s guidance toward where your spiritual gifts are needed for the common good. Let God fill you with confidence and courage to boldly step forward into where God wants you to use your spiritual gifts.
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Susan Hayward has lived a rich and varied life, yet her roots remain firmly planted in her Illinois farm upbringing. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science from the University of California, Davis, and spent nearly 20 years teaching science. Her background includes running an organic vegetable farm in California, earning professional coach training through Falling Awake Life Coaching, and achieving her PCC credential with the International Coach Federation. For two decades, she has provided pro bono coaching for One to One – Women Coaching Women and has served marginalized communities through work in Colombia, New York City, and California. Susan is active at Templeton Presbyterian Church in Templeton, CA, and enjoys gardening, sewing, puzzling, reading, and time with her eight grandchildren.