What if someone has a spiritual gift but does not know what to do with it?

Summary:

Spiritual gifts can be described as being given to those who are in Christ. Someone can get to know what spiritual gifts they have. 

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How can someone know what spiritual gifts they have:
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Assuming that someone made sure that they actually have a certain spiritual gift that they believe they have, what if they then do not know what to do with it?

​There are several things that can be done:

​1) Spiritual gifts are given by the WILL OF GOD. If someone has a spiritual gift, it is God's will for that person to have it, so as to EXERCISE it too. It is important though for someone to NOT HAVE WRONG EXPECTATIONS of the exercise that is expected of them. 

​2) Someone can get to know the GOALS of spiritual gifts. Others in the body of Christ will also have a NEED of someone's spiritual gift too.

​3) Someone can learn how OTHERS in the Bible USED their spiritual gifts, and realize they can be used ANYWHERE.

​4) If someone lacks wisdom on what to do, they can ASK GOD FOR WISDOM.

​5) Someone does NOT HAVE TO PANIC if they do not know what to do today, as the Lord allows for THOUGHTFUL REFLECTION before undertaking something.

​6) Someone should NOT COMPLETELY BURY a spiritual gift forever, but instead TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME to STEWARD it.

​You can find more details below:

1) Spiritual gifts are given by the will of God, and expected to be exercised:

Spiritual gifts are given by the will of God, as it is written: "But all these (things) the one and the same SPIRIT works, distributing to-each-one individually AS IT-WILLS" (1 Corinthians 12:11).

If someone has a spiritual gift, it is God's will for that person to have it, so as to exercise it too. Indeed, spiritual gifts are EXPECTED to be EXERCISED.

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Spiritual gifts are expected to be exercised:
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It is important for someone to NOT HAVE THE WRONG EXPECTATIONS of the exercise that is expected. Indeed, someone is only expected to exercise the spiritual gifts that they actually have, not the ones they do not have, which is why it is important for someone to not misidentify the spiritual gifts that they have in order to not have the wrong ideas of what is expected from them. 

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Why it is important for someone to not misidentify their spiritual gifts:
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2) Getting to know the goals of spiritual gifts:

​Spiritual gifts are given for certain goals. Someone should get to know the GOALS of spiritual gifts. 

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​Spiritual gifts are given for certain goals:

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​Other believer in the body of Christ will also have a NEED of someone's spiritual gift too, as not everyone has all the same spiritual gifts.

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​Not everyone has all the same spiritual gifts:

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3) Learning how others in the Bible used them:

​Someone can LEARN how OTHERS in the Bible used their spiritual gifts to understand how to practically apply them.

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​List of spiritual gifts:

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​Spiritual gifts can also be used ANYWHERE, which leaves a lot of room to the practical use.

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​Where can spiritual gifts be expected to be exercised?:

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4) Asking God for wisdom:

​If someone genuinely does not know what to do with a spiritual gift, the Bible instructs that if someone lacks wisdom, they should ask God Who will give them wisdom.

​It is written: "if any (of) you is-lacking wisdom, let him be-asking from the God giving generously (to) all and not reproaching, and it-will-be-given (to) him" (James 1:5).

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5) Not panicking, but having thoughtful reflection:

Someone does NOT HAVE TO PANIC if they genuinely do not know what to do with their spiritual gifts at this very second today.

​The Lord allows for THOUGHTFUL REFLECTION before undertaking something.

​For example, it is written in a parable that someone should sit down and think before doing something: "For who from-among you, wanting to-build (a) tower, does not FIRST, HAVING-SAT-DOWN, COUNT THE COST if he-has the (things) for completion?" (Luke 14:28).

​Furthermore, there are spiritual gifts that can require certain preconditions to be set in place before they can be exercised, which preconditions can take time to set in place.

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​There can be conditions to be able to exercise a spiritual gift:

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6) Not burying a spiritual gift, but instead taking one step at a time to steward it:

​Someone should not set in their heart that they will completely bury their spiritual gifts forever so as to never decide to do anything with them ever.

​In the parable of the talents, the servant who completely buried what was given to him was rebuked, as it is written: "But the (one) having-received the one, having-gone-away, DUG IN THE EARTH AND HID THE SILVER of his master" (Matthew 25:18) and his master said to him: "wicked and lazy servant!" (Matthew 25:26).

​In contrast, one should leave it open to find out what they can do with their spiritual gifts, and TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME to STEWARD them. 

​Indeed, spiritual gifts are expected to be stewarded.

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​Spiritual gifts are expected to be stewarded:

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