Earlier this year, an Ohio woman bought a painting for $2.99 at a thrift store and sold it for nearly $3,000 when she discovered it was the work of a gifted artist. Most of God’s children are like that. We underestimate our value and the value of the spiritual gifts God has given us. Maybe we worry too much about finding our gifts and spend too little time exercising them. As we serve the Lord, our gifts will emerge. But anxiety over finding our own distinctive set of spiritual gifts may keep us from today’s tasks.

The apostle Peter simply said, “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies” (1 Peter 4:9-11). That’s something you can do today!

The New Testament’s teaching on spiritual gifts focuses not on self-discovery but on loving service. In fact, the anxiety about discovering “my” spiritual gift will probably fade completely when you focus on what you can do to build up the body of Christ.
Jonathan Threlfall