"spiritual" gifts or spirit-led gifts...
i mentioned a few posts ago that i've been chewing around some thoughts about spiritual gifts...and i'm not sure that i've totally figured out all of what i've been thinking...but here's where i'm landing on this as of right now...
i've been thinking lately about how so much of what i do is "self" motivated...and i've noticed that i'm not alone in this...even within the church...i was listening recently to a talk about spiritual gifts, and i heard how a lot of the language that we use to talk about even something as "spiritual" as spiritual gifts is self motivated...for instance, we talk about "what is my gift" and "how has god shaped me"...sometimes in books or conversations or messages that i hear about these things it almost feels like we are looking for the answers to these ?'s because we want to advance ourselves...i'm not sure i am explaining this well or not...here's an example...when we talk about using our gifts to serve, i've heard a lot of speakers say things like "if you find your shape, and serve in that shape, it will be the best life you could possibly live"...or maybe its more like "you're the only one that can do what you were created to do"...even in talking about using our spiritual gifts the focus is on advancing ourselves...it's all about "your life will be better" or "you are unique...and maybe even a little better than others"...
now dont get me wrong here...i totally believe in spiritual gifts...i believe that one of the best things that you can do is figure out your shape and serve in it...i've given shape tests to students for 7 years now...i would LOVE to be in a position to always serve in my shape...but the thing is...sometimes it just seems like we are on this journey of self-discovery and shape-discovery for our own glory...not for HIS glory...i mean, isnt the fact that god gave his only son on the cross enough to motivate us to serve him in anyway possible?...is it possible that finding out our shape and using that to serve him has very little to do with (in God's eyes) our own satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, or need to feel special?...is it possible that true self-discovery and shape-discovery begins, continues, and ends in a place that is willing to be led by god...sometimes it just feels like the language communicates "once i figure out (on my own) what my shape is, THEN i'll use that to serve God"...what if it was more like "i'm completely surrendered...wherever you lead...whatever you ask...i'm yours"...what if the journey to shape and self-discovery isnt something we look backwards to (where WE know the answer and we just have to find it)but is instead something that is always ahead (something we have to move outside ourselves to find)?...what if spiritual giftedness is for the moment...the moment that god places you in and calls you to?...
so obviously this needs some more thought...and clarification...just thought i would throw it out there...
till later...
i've been thinking lately about how so much of what i do is "self" motivated...and i've noticed that i'm not alone in this...even within the church...i was listening recently to a talk about spiritual gifts, and i heard how a lot of the language that we use to talk about even something as "spiritual" as spiritual gifts is self motivated...for instance, we talk about "what is my gift" and "how has god shaped me"...sometimes in books or conversations or messages that i hear about these things it almost feels like we are looking for the answers to these ?'s because we want to advance ourselves...i'm not sure i am explaining this well or not...here's an example...when we talk about using our gifts to serve, i've heard a lot of speakers say things like "if you find your shape, and serve in that shape, it will be the best life you could possibly live"...or maybe its more like "you're the only one that can do what you were created to do"...even in talking about using our spiritual gifts the focus is on advancing ourselves...it's all about "your life will be better" or "you are unique...and maybe even a little better than others"...
now dont get me wrong here...i totally believe in spiritual gifts...i believe that one of the best things that you can do is figure out your shape and serve in it...i've given shape tests to students for 7 years now...i would LOVE to be in a position to always serve in my shape...but the thing is...sometimes it just seems like we are on this journey of self-discovery and shape-discovery for our own glory...not for HIS glory...i mean, isnt the fact that god gave his only son on the cross enough to motivate us to serve him in anyway possible?...is it possible that finding out our shape and using that to serve him has very little to do with (in God's eyes) our own satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, or need to feel special?...is it possible that true self-discovery and shape-discovery begins, continues, and ends in a place that is willing to be led by god...sometimes it just feels like the language communicates "once i figure out (on my own) what my shape is, THEN i'll use that to serve God"...what if it was more like "i'm completely surrendered...wherever you lead...whatever you ask...i'm yours"...what if the journey to shape and self-discovery isnt something we look backwards to (where WE know the answer and we just have to find it)but is instead something that is always ahead (something we have to move outside ourselves to find)?...what if spiritual giftedness is for the moment...the moment that god places you in and calls you to?...
so obviously this needs some more thought...and clarification...just thought i would throw it out there...
till later...
posted by Danny Sells at 5/27/2008
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home