So we talked about spiritual gifts on Sunday but the lesson was focused on things like speaking in tounges and raising the dead...worthy gifts, but not ones that I am really in need of at this point in my life.
What I wished we had talked about was more practical spiritual gifts and how we find and cultivate those gifts in our own lives.
And what I kept coming back to, time and time again, was that the spiritual gifts that I need in my life, and that would do the most good, are the little things that might not even seem like gifts to other people.
I need to know who I am. I need to know that Heavenly Father loves me and values me as a daughter. I don't have an easy realtionship with my earthly father. I love him and he loves me, but we don't talk, and I don't turn to him when I need advice or counsel. I wish I did. But what I am realizing is that this relationship has affected the one I have with my Heavenly Father. So, I don't turn to him and seek His advice like I should.
So, there's another gift. The gift of prayer and getting answers to prayers. I have to say that I have made great strides in this area of my life and am really starting to recognize the spirit and the Lord's hand in my life, but it takes a lot of work for me to see it!
I think another gift that I could really use is balance. I am an all or nothing kind of person. I am hot or I am cold, but never warm! So when I do something, I do it with all I have and give all I've got, otherwise I just don't do it.
Well, that's all well and good, but there are a lot of things in life that require moderation, and most things are good, in small doses. But I don't know how to do that yet.
So, I guess what I am saying is that when we look for our spiritual gifts we shouldn't overlook the little ones. I think it is the little things that help us get where we are supposed to go, or keep us from ever getting there at all.
So how do we seek these things? How do we find them in ourselves? How do we know? How do you know?
3 comments:
Denise,
These are the same thoughts that I have been having for the past few months. I have been wondering what my spiritual gifts are before this lesson even came up. It actually has been frustrating me to not be able to find an answer quickly.
My friend Melissa suggested that our talents are the same as spiritual gifts. Maybe you could start asking yourself what talents you have been given.
I tried to recognize what my talents are and cooking didn't seem to spiritual to me. But our talents were given to us by our Heavenly Father to bless each other.
I also tried, and continue to, read talks on spiritual gifts. But none of them so far have listed the smaller, more simple gifts. I will keep looking.
One thing that I did discover is that if you desire to have a specific spiritual gift, you may
ask Heavenly Father for it. We are blessed with spiritual gifts through the Holy Ghost. I also felt that if we pray to recognize the gifts that have been given to us, the Lord will reveal them to us.
I too have been wanting to know who I am, to feel of the Lord's hand in my life. I have always struggled with prayer, and my relationship with Heavenly Father. It is amazing to me, Denise, how similar we are.
I have felt really strongly that I just need to START praying. Go off of faith and just do it.
I feel like I have been rambling, but I hope you were able to get something out of this.
I agree. We just start, and see where it goes.
Let's go.
I love what you both have said, I would love to have spiritual gifts. I have always felt lacking in spiritual gifts, I know that I have some creative talents, but I feel like thay are not a big deal, especially when the church took monthly homemaking meetings away and asked us to focus on more important things(spiritual not temporal like decorating the house)I love being reminded that my Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost can help me to recognized the gifts he has given me and help me to develope those I desire. I always have had the attitude that I can do it myself, that meekness shows weekness, thanks so much for making me ponder, think and making me want to reach for the spiritual gifts that are mine to embrace.
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