Spiritual Gifts List:
Listening series
Scripture has several recurring themes and I think that’s intentional on God’s part. I’ve noticed that when God is trying to teach me something, or to help me understand something, various lessons or themes show up in my life from a number of sources. One of the major sources is scripture.
That’s another way we can listen. We pay attention.
I’ve had people tell me God doesn’t speak to them. I beg to differ. God speaks to everyone in different ways. Allow me to give an example.
I am a visual learner. I learn and remember best with a visual aide. One example is pictures, but another way of thinking about pictures is WORDS. When I am memorizing something, each word (I use key words) is one picture.
Also, I remember better when emotion is attached to the picture. Remembering something when emotion is attached to it is extremely common.
Because I learn by using pictures, God gave me the Spiritual Gift of dreams and visions that have emotion attached to them.
I believe each person has Spiritual Gifts that are tailor-made. They can be based on how we learn and how our brain is wired. But, a Spiritual Gift can also be given to help us accomplish God’s will and purpose for our life.
If you don’t know how you learn best, there are easy ways to determine that. First, start by praying. Ask God to show you how you learn best. Through the years there have been different ways listed, but currently it’s believed there is a consensus that there are seven ways. I believe in the future, that could expand. Since my teacher training is in spiritual matters, a certified educator with the Department of Education may have a better idea how schools view learning styles. For the purpose of this example, we’re using 7 learning styles:
Visual (Spacial)
Aural (Auditory)
Verbal (Linguistic)
Physical (Kinesthetic)
Logical (Mathematical)
Social (interpersonal)
Solitary (Intrapersonal)
If you aren’t sure, work your way backwards. Determine what you are not. I am not a great listener or aural (which has caused me great distress in my life because I’ve been shamed a lot for “not listening”). The truth is, God did NOT wire me that way.
I am not a logical learner and that’s probably why I struggled in math class. I am not a great physical learner (kinesthetic). I am not a good social learner.
I can learn verbally, but I’ve had to work at it.
My youngest son is Kinesthetic and Social and I’d say he has learned to be a verbal and aural learner (because he is career military). When he was young he was often in trouble for touching everything...sorry buddy.
My oldest son is logical and solitary, but because he is also career military he has also learned to be verbal and aural.
You get the idea. Once you determine how you learn best, you can look at the list of Spiritual Gifts and you can see a common thread of your recurring theme. It would be very rare for God to give you Spiritual Gifts that are not in line with how God created you to LEARN.
Spiritual Gifts include: wisdom, knowledge (which includes interpretation of dreams and visions), faith, healing, miracles, prophecy (dreams and visions), discernment of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, teaching, helps, leadership, and apostle.
Because gifts are a gift, your gift may surprise you. Know that God will speak to you in accordance with the way you were created AND through your spiritual gifts. If you have the gift of knowledge, you just KNOW. if you have the gift of faith, you BELIEVE.
What you will notice is that as you pay attention to how God interacts with you, there will be recurring themes.
Look for those themes. Look for people in your circle of faith who can give you insight into your learning styles and your Spiritual Gifts.
Pray about what God is teaching you. Listen with your heart.
Finally, let God be GOD. The Spirit of God does have the power and knows how to teach you. Trust God.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Listen
Take time to pray and ask God to affirm or reaffirm how you learn. If you know your Spiritual Gifts, match those up. If you do not yet know what your Spiritual Gifts are, consider the themes of your life. That will begin your listening journey.
In God, Deb
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