In yesterday’s entry, I spent some time exploring the notion of spiritual gifts and encouraging you to spend some time discovering what your gifts are. Today’s reading from Acts reminded me that there was a piece of information I probably should have touched upon that has to do with this notion of spiritual gifts. That piece of information has to do with a common misconception some have about what it means to connect with your spiritual gifts. You see some folks assume that when you begin to connect with and use your spiritual gifts this means you will always have warm, fuzzy experiences. I would agree – but only up to a certain point. While there usually is a rush associated with the sense of connecting with your spiritual gift(s), often this burst of life-affirming energy can take you to unexpected places: places that are outside of your comfort zone. Case in point: Paul and Barnabas in today’s passage from Acts. Paul’s spiritual gift of exhortation – the gift that helped Paul feel comfortable in front of groups – was the same gift that ultimately drew him to the synagogue. Who knew this gift would put him at such odds with the religious authorities?! And while most of us would have backed off immediately in the tone of our comments once we sensed the tension in the room, Paul’s gift caused him to press his point further until he was able to explicitly draw in the “outsiders”. The contentious experience that Paul and Barnabus had that day would have greatly upset most of us. Yet because Paul had relied so thoroughly upon his spiritual gift, he was able to walk away from the encounter “brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52 – The Message). So what’s the lesson for us today? Well, I see the lesson as being two-fold: first, the places our spiritual gifts take us won’t always be comfortable places; and second, the peace and joy we will get from using those gifts will make the discomfort worthwhile. As you continue to explore your gifts, my hope is that you too will walk away from the unforeseen places your spiritual gifts take you brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit. Til next time…
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Tuesday, July 1
In yesterday’s entry, I spent some time exploring the notion of spiritual gifts and encouraging you to spend some time discovering what your gifts are. Today’s reading from Acts reminded me that there was a piece of information I probably should have touched upon that has to do with this notion of spiritual gifts. That piece of information has to do with a common misconception some have about what it means to connect with your spiritual gifts. You see some folks assume that when you begin to connect with and use your spiritual gifts this means you will always have warm, fuzzy experiences. I would agree – but only up to a certain point. While there usually is a rush associated with the sense of connecting with your spiritual gift(s), often this burst of life-affirming energy can take you to unexpected places: places that are outside of your comfort zone. Case in point: Paul and Barnabas in today’s passage from Acts. Paul’s spiritual gift of exhortation – the gift that helped Paul feel comfortable in front of groups – was the same gift that ultimately drew him to the synagogue. Who knew this gift would put him at such odds with the religious authorities?! And while most of us would have backed off immediately in the tone of our comments once we sensed the tension in the room, Paul’s gift caused him to press his point further until he was able to explicitly draw in the “outsiders”. The contentious experience that Paul and Barnabus had that day would have greatly upset most of us. Yet because Paul had relied so thoroughly upon his spiritual gift, he was able to walk away from the encounter “brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52 – The Message). So what’s the lesson for us today? Well, I see the lesson as being two-fold: first, the places our spiritual gifts take us won’t always be comfortable places; and second, the peace and joy we will get from using those gifts will make the discomfort worthwhile. As you continue to explore your gifts, my hope is that you too will walk away from the unforeseen places your spiritual gifts take you brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit. Til next time…
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