Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual Gifts

This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,

was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.

God also testified to it by signs, wonders, and various 

miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed

according to His will.

Hebrews 2:3b-4

If you read through the listing of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12), you will find that some of them are character traits (such as merciful), and others are what I would call job descriptions (teacher, evangelist).  If you have never taken a Spiritual Gifts assessment, just type "Spiritual Gifts Test" into Google and you will find an online test that you can take.

One of the surprises that I discovered when I compared both my VIA Character Survey results and my Spiritual Gifts survey::  In every spiritual gifts survey that I have taken over the years (a  lot!), my #1 was Teaching, and #2 was Leadership.  Consistently.  Always.  Yet in the VIA Character Assessment, Leadership was at the bottom (23rd out of 24). Quite a difference!  As I thought about this, however,  I realized that almost every leadership position I have had was within the realm of the church (church music specifically), and that when someone says "leadership" outside of the church, I run in the opposite direction.  So these two surveys are not contradictions, but are each part of the whole.

Knowing and applying our highest character strengths will help us navigate through our corner of this crazy world.  Opening up our hearts to the Holy Spirit will enable Him to grow within us the fruit of God's character.  

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Spirit of the living God, fall a-fresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, fall a-fresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall a-fresh on me.

The United Methodist Hymnal No. 393