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Archive for October 30, 2011
Natural Abilities: Compared to Spiritual Gifts
October 30, 2011 by Steve.
Quick! What’s the difference between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee? Hmm … Is that a trick question? Obviously, the difference is the presence or absence of caffeine. Both come from the coffee bean; both impact the body. But the impact of caffeine is far more powerful.
The analogy applies to spiritual gifts. The difference between gifts and abilities is the presence or absence of the Holy Spirit. Both come from God; both impact the Body. But spiritual gifts have a FAR more powerful impact.
Both gifts and abilities come from God. Gifts are imparted at the moment of spiritual birth. The Spirit comes to live within you, and provides power to live the Christian life. God chooses the spiritual gift(s) you have; they’re part of your divine design. He manifests Himself through you to spiritually impact others.
In contrast, abilities are given at the moment of physical birth. Your abilities are unique to you; they are part of your divine design. Like gifts, your abilities impact others. The difference is that spiritual gifts bring SPIRITUAL impact, abilities don’t. Abilities also have impact. But their impact is physical, emotional, mental, and relational. God uses both your gifts and abilities to serve others. With gifts, the Spirit works through you to impact others; with abilities, you impact others with the abilities God gave you.
The diagram below depicts the similarities and differences between natural abilities and spiritual gifts:
What next steps should you take in using your natural abilities? First, identify your strongest natural ability. Make this determination by asking yourself these three questions: Which one tends to be used most often? Which one energizes you the most? Which one seems to have the greatest positive impact on others?
Second, consider your current occupation. Do you use your top natural ability everyday in your job? Is your top natural ability the most important skill needed to be successful in your job? If so, how can you maximize this natural ability to succeed in your job? If not, is it possible for you to revise your job description to capitalize on this natural ability? You may need to consider changing careers if your top natural ability isn’t a key aspect of your current position.
Finally, does your current ministry position make use of your natural ability? If so, use it to make the greatest possible impact on those you serve. If not, change ministries.
This concludes the current series on natural abilities. They are an important part of God’s unique design for you. Thank God for the natural abilities He’s given you, and use them faithfully to bring Him glory.
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