“There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are different ministries and the same Lord; and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
If the phrase “It’s in you to give” sounds familiar to you, that’s for a good reason. You can thank the Canadian Blood Services, who use that as their motto to encourage people to donate blood regularly.
I’ll admit that donating blood is not something I do regularly. However, I still appreciate the motto and the idea that “it’s in you to give.” I think within all of us are good things that God has put in us for a reason. And I’m not just talking about blood! There are aspects of our personalities and things that we are naturally drawn to that I believe are not random. Rather, they are things that God has put in us, and God intends for us to use them to serve others.
Sometimes, these things have become such a part of our lives and are so ingrained within us that we may not even notice them. I remember speaking to a friend once who mentioned an odd experience she would have. People would come up to her in random places and just start sharing about their lives with her. Whether it was at the library, or a cafe, or at the supermarket, for some reason, people felt like they could bare their hearts to her. As she was talking about this, it struck me that this may be something that God has put in her. It was something that could certainly be used for good.
One way to identify gifts you may have is to think of whether there are activities that you are drawn to. At church, are there ministries that resonate with you? Prayer? Building relationships with your peers? Enjoy cross-cultural friendships? Training up children? Music/worship? Public speaking? Welcoming new people? Hospitality? Straightening out administrative issues? Do you naturally rise up to lead others? Like serving people in underprivileged neighborhoods? Enjoy encouraging and praying for others? God can use all of these for good.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul is teaching about the spiritual gifts and says this: there are different ministries and activities, but the same God. Demonstrations of the Holy Spirit are given to people to serve the common good. I think Paul’s logic here applies to all gifts. God gives different kinds of gifts and characteristics to people, and they are all meant to serve the common good.
When we begin to use our God-given gifts and orient our personalities and strengths to love God and love others, I truly believe it brings out the best in us. If someone loves to sing and worship God, they are at their best when they encourage others to worship. If someone has the gift of investing money well, they are at their best when they do it to serve kingdom needs. When someone feels drawn to prayer, they are at their best when they are praying with others.
Can you think of personality traits or preferences you may have, that could be useful in serving others? When have you last used these gifts to bless others? We are at our best when we are aware of what God has put in us and put ourselves in a position to serve others with those things. And always remember, they are in you to give.