The laity of each church is the backbone of every church. We are vital to the growth of the church and spreading God’s word. Wesley feared the movement known as Methodists would vanish from the earth.
“My fear is not that our great movement, known as the Methodist, will eventually cease to exist or one day die from the earth. My fear is that our people will become content to live without the fire, the power, the excitement, the supernatural elements that makes us great.” John Wesley
Do you continue to be on fire for God? Perhaps you don’t know where you fit into the plan God has for you. God has given us spiritual gifts and when we use those gifts, we become alive and on fire. Nothing is worse than to be involved in a ministry that is not your gifts. On the flip side, nothing is more exciting than to be in a ministry that matches your gifts.
Do you know your gifts, your spiritual gifts? Each one of us has been given gifts to be used in service to God. If you don’t know your gifts, there are great websites that will identify your spiritual gifts. One that I like is umcdiscipleship.org/spiritual-gifts-inventory/en. You might be surprised by the results. I was. My spiritual gifts are teaching, shepherding, and exhortation. I love teaching and always feel a sense of fulfillment when I teach children or adults about the love of God. Shepherding is the gift of guidance, nurturing is my nature. The surprise was exhortation, exceptional encouragement. I am an encourager but never thought it was exceptional.
Have you been on a committee that was a real bore, you sat in a meeting just wanting it to be over? Or been asked to be a leader of a committee and it made you feel encouraged by how you were able to lead the group? Have you been put in charge of small group and found you were not right for the job, but someone in the group was?
Everyone has spiritual gifts that play a unique and valued role in the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul lists several gifts in Romans 12:3-8, Ephesians 4:7-16 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and 12:27-21. Each gift is valuable for the work of the church. I really wish I could speak in tongues, I’d be happy to speak Spanish, but that is not my gift. I love to see people in leadership roles who make it look easy. I’m too busy trying to keep the flock in line and guide them to the best outcome.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul explains why there are many gifts. He compares the gifts to the body. The body is not just eyes or ears or feet but many parts to make the whole. That is what the spiritual gifts are, part of the body of Christ. Not everyone is gifted with preaching, who would be the listeners? Not everyone is gifted with teaching, who would be the students? Not everyone is gifted with leadership, who would follow? Each gift is unique for you. No gift is better or lesser than any other. After all it has been given to you by the Holy Spirit.
When you find your gift, you will be on fire again. Your spiritual gift is yours to use for the body of Christ.
May God guide you throughout your journey.
