What if you have a gift that you want to develop but score low on?
For each gift, it’s important to return to the Biblical definition of a spiritual gift (which we get from Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4): Spiritual gifts are special abilities given by God, empowered by His Holy Spirit to every believer in Jesus—for the purpose of glorifying Him and building His church body as we extend His kingdom in this world. Based on this, we are reminded that we don’t pick our gifts—the Lord chooses which ones to give us.
The top gifts on your assessment are the ones that God would have you focus on in this season. Explore them, develop them with God’s help, use them in the power of the Spirit, for the good of others. Don’t get hung up on something low-scoring. Your non-gifts mean that you will need others with higher scores to bring balance to your ministry.
This does not mean that the Lord won’t give you a new gift in a moment or for a time, but it’s more common to have a mix of 3-5 gifts that stay much the same over longer periods.
That said, if each gift is a reflection of the very character of God…and, if we are to be becoming more and more like Jesus Himself—as He transforms us from the inside out, then it may be that your question is really about “What sort of spiritual discipline might be effective in helping me learn some of the behaviors involved in my lowest-scoring non-gifts?”
For example, you may have scored lowest on Giving, but you know that throughout the entirety of Scripture we are given commands to tithe, to steward the resources God has given us, to give generously to the work of ministry, to be open-handed with the poor among us. This might be a particular challenge for you, so you might insert a new practice into your spiritual pursuits that would disallow you to forget these admonitions. You could commit to give 10% of your income every week to ministry for a month, a quarter, a year and see what the Lord does.
Remember, it’s not so much the gift but knowing that it’s the gift empowered by the Holy Spirit that is making the difference. The person with Evangelism is not bringing people to Jesus themselves—that person is just the instrument God is using to call people to faith. And, that person needs those with Helps to come alongside with support, with Hospitality to welcome and include, with Shepherding to disciple, with Giving to continue the ministry, with Discernment and Wisdom to guide and set boundaries, etc.
Whatever your top gifts are, they are needed. Don’t spend time comparing your low scores with someone else’s top scores. Be faithful in what the Lord intends for you, knowing that you make a unique, unrepeatable contribution!
Important resources:
· Take this free spiritual gifts assessment or this free Spanish language spiritual gifts assessment.
· Purchase the six-week workbook in English or Spanish:
· God. Gifts. You.: Your Unique Calling and Design
· DIOS. DONES. TÚ.: Tu llamado y diseño único (Spanish Edition)
Downloadable Resources--See Sample List of Interest Areas; Your Spiritual Gifts—A Study Guide; Knowing Your Unique Calling and Purpose Study Guide; Whole-Life Ministry: A Form of Worship, Grace-Giving, and Living into Your Calling.
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, DIOS. DONES. TÚ.: Tu llamado y diseño único (Spanish Edition), and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with hundreds of faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and executive leaders in a diversity of fields for four decades. She currently serves as Catalyst for Equipping at her church.
Photo © Shirley Giles Davis.
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