Eph 4:1-16 “How You Can Discover Your Spiritual Gifts” Nov 9, 2008
Over the past 15 years, I have noticed a phenonmen among some of the most talented and intelligent of young adults. They cannot decide what they want to do with their lives. The problem is that they could do so many things. They are so gifted that they could be teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses, electricians, or most anything it would seem. I do emphasize that “it would seem.” It is part of our American culture that says that we can do anything and in fact do everything. Americans do not like limits. For example, we do not like to be told that our natural resources are running out and that we cannot have everything. We do not like making choices. But I once had a professor who said, “I’ve never know anyone to be successful as long as they’ve got two choices.”
What can bring a focus to our lives? Well, this is a journey. But one good step is to discover my true gifts and graces. Not what I would wish to do or be but really what I am gifted to be. We have talked for several weeks now about our spiritual gifts from God. God has made us, hard wired us for certain works in our lives. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” Now many of you this past week have taken a Spiritual Gifts Survey seeking to discover what God has prepared for your life. Today I want to urge everyone here to take that survey. I am going to give you a couple of web-sites where you can easily take a survey and begin to discover your gifts. Of course, this is a God guided journey and it cannot be reduced to a short survey. So what is this all about? Today I want to tell you.
If you want to take this survey and make it meaningful in your life, there are some steps along the way. First, you need to be seeking God. Spiritual gifts are given to those who are seeking God. Unfortunately, not every church member is a follower of Christ. All churches, some more than others, have members who are not committed to Jesus. They may attend, give some money, serve on boards, teach Sunday School, but they have not committed their lives to God. In today’s scripture, Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1, “I beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” You have been called by God, but have you answered that calling. You know, in your home, your phone can ring and ring, but you will not connect with that other person until you answer the phone. You must pick up the phone and say, “Hello.” Then there is a connection. Listen. God is calling every person on this planet, but each one must answer the call. Have you answered? Are you connected? We all laugh with that TV commercial, “Can you hear me now?” We have all experienced a loss of connection. Well, what about your spiritual connection? I want to say to you that if you are unsure about your spiritual connection to God, then post-pone any seeking of Spiritual Gifts. First, answer the call.
Now maybe you are unsure about this. How can you know if you are connected to God? The Bible says in II Corinthians 5:17 that “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. The old is passing away and things become new.” I would urge you to ask yourself honestly whether you can say that you are a new creature in Jesus Christ. I am not talking about perfection. But I am talking about a heart that is changed. A heart that wants to follow God. A life that is not the same. If you are uncertain about this, talk to a mature Christian and seek advice. Again, post-pone seeking your Spiritual Gift and instead seek God first.
If you want to discover your spiritual gifts, you must first be seeking God. Secondly, you must believe you have spiritual gifts. The number one reason that most Christians have not discovered their Spiritual Gifts is that they do not believe they have such gifts. And the number one reason they do not believe is that they have simply never been taught. I pray we have remedied this situation these last weeks. Ephesians 4:7 states that “each one of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Each one of us. Every one of you is graced. Everyone is different according to the measure of Christ’s gift. We do not have the same gifts. But each of us is gifted if we have received the grace of Christ. So this is a question of faith. You must believe that God has given you spiritual gifts before you start the survey. You must be thankful and have a sense of gratitude to God that you are gifted. It is not pride to believe you are gifted. The gift is not from you. It is from God. And it is a false humility to walk around saying, “Oh, I am not that gifted.” That is being ungrateful. God has gifted you and you are to be thankful for this life you have and the gifts you have. Believe that you are graced by God.
Thirdly, you have to pray. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, ask of God who gives to all generously.” God wants you discover your gifts. God wants you to discover the life God has made for you. God will certainly give you all the help you need to discover the path and the way. So pray for guidance. As you pray, listen for the voice of God. Be aware of how the Holy Spirit may be leading you. As you take the survey, be in prayer that you would be led. Then have faith. Have an expectation that you will learn something.
If you want to discover the gifts of God in your life, you must first be seeking God. Secondly, you must believe that you have gifts in your life. You must pray. And finally, you have to be willing to do the work of God. Ephesians 4:16 says that the purpose of God’s gifts is that we will work together properly, promoting the growth of the Body of Christ and building up the church in love. God gifts us for a reason. The gifts of God are not to make me rich and famous. The gifts of God are for service and love. And God knows whether you are serious about serving Him. If you approach this survey just curious about yourself or if you take this survey just because your friends are taking it or just to get your pastor off your back, then you are not going to discover much. Many people attend retreats, take surveys, read books, but they never experience true spiritual growth because they are not serious about growing. They are just kind of curious. It is when we are ready to be obedient to God, when we are really ready to follow Jesus, we will hear him speak to us. God is still speaking and leading people today if they are willing to obey His call. God does not speak to the casually curious. God leads those who are committed to make the journey.
I hope many of you have already taken the survey and will be with us in our final study to unpack the results. If you have not taken the survey, I can give you the printed survey or you can go to one of these two web-sites.
www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php
Again, these are not magic wands to change your life. But these are tools put together by serious Christian leaders and counselors who work every day to coach people toward a life of serving God and finding new joy in that journey. Why not invest an hour of your time to begin the same journey which has blessed so many Christian people. Amen.