“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
“You weren’t an accident. You weren’t mass produced. You aren’t an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Master Craftsman.” Max Lucado
- Grab your Bible, a journal, and a pen; get comfortable and ask God to speak to you and open your spiritual eyes as you learn about the Holy Spirit working in you!
- Read 1 Corinthians 2: 1-16 and 12:4-11. Write 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 in your journal.
Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve completed a Bible study, written in your journal, or finished listening to a sermon and still felt an unquenchable desire for something more afterward— like the feeling you get when you have eaten and still don’t feel full?
This type of longing could be an indicator that the Holy Spirit may be calling you to go deeper, to explore further in order to find out more about yourself, or even to reach a spiritual point you haven’t reached before to develop new gifts inside of you to use for the glory of God! All we have to do is ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us; teach us what we need to know, and show us our gifts!
The Lord sent His Spirit to guide us to the next level, one that we cannot even understand. In 1 Corinthians 2: 7-10, we are told, “…of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began…God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” He goes on to say, “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words” (1 Corinthians 2:13).
In 1 Corinthians 2, the Holy Spirit reaches out to us in mysterious ways and calls us to become more like Christ. In 1 Corinthians 2:16, we see that He even shares with us the mind of Christ. God also gives us special gifts unique to each one of us (Romans 12:4-6). Isn’t that amazing?
We were given these gifts so that we could serve the Lord according to His will. I am part of the Help Club for Moms graphic design team, and I use my creative talents to design graphics illustrating the Scriptures used in the Bible studies. I started recognizing the Spirit calling me during my devotional time early on in my involvement with Help Club for Moms. I would write in my journal and underline in my Bible, using various methods to help the Word sink in and be absorbed, yet in the end, I still felt like I wasn’t finished, like there was a longing for more—from me!
Because I have a creative background and am a visual person, I decided to try making a visual journal. Journaling was a fantastic answer, and I did feel much more complete afterward! There was something truly special in adding a little color! That’s when the doors started opening for me to create graphics for the Help Club, and immediately the feeling of completeness sunk in, and my calling became so clear. The key was responding to the Spirit’s calling. Once I finally took action, I was able to savor the
Lord’s gift He gave to me.
Maybe your special gifts are music or writing or teaching, or perhaps the act of worship and praising God through music helps the message wash over you. It could also be serving others—visiting a nursing home, helping widows and orphans, or maybe teaching children in Sunday school. Whatever it may be, through prayer and discernment, you can harness that calling and serve the Lord. Who knows where it may lead!
Blessings and Love,
Kristall
Questions to Ponder
- Do you hear the Holy Spirit speak to you (1 Corinthians 2:14)? Do you know what gift(s) the Lord has given you? If not, pray and ask the Lord to send His Spirit to speak to you and show you what they might be (Romans 8:5b).
- Are you still pondering your response to the Spirit based on your calling or your unique gift, waiting for another day when you may not be as busy or tired? If you have felt that yearning, that longing to respond, pray for guidance to carry it out. Ask for an opportunity to share and serve.
- Read this verse from John 3:8: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Pray that you will be able to discern the Spirit and answer accordingly.
Faith-Filled Ideas
I wanted to share a picture from my visual journal so you can see how simple it can be. I just used a black micron pen and watercolors. You can find a little watercolor sketchbook from any local craft store. Check out how other creative people are journaling. Visit http://visualblessings.blogspot.com/. This woman is very talented and may inspire you!
If you don’t feel your creative juices flowing, encourage yourself to go deeper this week and do one thing that would stretch you to use your God-given talents as an act of worship. Strive to find a way to serve the Lord that utilizes your unique gift (1 Peter 4:10).
I am blessed to be a stay-at-home mom with a working background in graphic design. I am from northern Virginia, and our family moved out to Colorado in late 2013 to be close to family. I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2005 with a BFA degree in Visual Communications and my passion is for design. The Lord has called me to create designs for Him, and therefore, I am so grateful to be a part of the Help Club for Mom's ministry, where I can serve the Lord and connect with fellow moms all at the same time! My favorite verses are from Psalm 139:13-16.
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