There are four key New Testament passages that deal with the topic of spiritual gifts, and each insists on the same thing: every believer has a spiritual gift.

• “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:4-6).
• “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
• “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7).
• “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10).

In response to these passages, people often ask, “Then what is my spiritual gift?” And this question, in turn, has produced a cottage industry of questionnaires, tests, and personality evaluations—all designed to help the eager soul discover their own spiritual gift.

In view of the ink spilt and bytes downloaded on the matter of discovering one’s spiritual gift, you might be surprised to learn that such introspection is completely absent in all these passages. Either Paul and Peter failed to answer such a vital question . . . or we are asking the wrong question.

I think the latter is the case.

The New Testament’s teaching on spiritual gifts focuses not on self-discovery but on loving service. In fact, the anxiety about discovering “my” spiritual gift will probably fade completely when you focus on what you can do to build up the body of Christ.

So in response to our (modern, Western?) infatuation with self-discovery, even in the area of spiritual gifts, I offer this advice: Instead of asking, “What is my spiritual gift?” ask, What need can I meet that will make Jesus’ presence real here?

We can break down that question into three components:

1. Opportunity (“What need)

2. Ability (“can I meet”)

3. Goal (“that will make Jesus’ presence real here?”)

Let’s start with the goal.

Goal

You must start with the goal, because if you get this wrong, you’ll get everything else wrong too. The Bible teaches that the church is the “body of Christ.” In other words, it is the way in which Jesus makes his power and presence known and felt on earth through relationally interconnected believers. The church is called to make Jesus real to each other and to the world in the way its members speak and live. That can happen in a vast variety of ways, from writing and research (Luke 1:1-4) to charitable giving (2 Corinthians 9:12-15), from care for orphans and widows (James 1:27) to preaching and teaching (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). 

The Bible focuses especially on how this happens within the context of the relationships among believers. Think, for example, of the gifts listed in Romans 12. They include prophecy, service, instruction, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and charitable giving. Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 12 prioritizes prophecy because it is the most direct way in which Christians exhort one another by bringing God’s word to bear on specific situations. The goal—always—is to strengthen the church as a whole, not to showcase the skills of the individual. And as the church is strengthened, it is better able to carry out its mission to bear witness to Jesus in the world.

If you get this wrong, you will get everything else wrong too. The goal of spiritual gifts is not to take you on a journey of self-discovery (although self-knowledge might be a healthy byproduct). It is not to show off your skills. Rather it is to make Jesus’ loving, powerful presence known and felt in the church and in the world.

Opportunity

Once you have the goal firmly in mind and heart, ask the next question: “What’s the need?” That’s an opportunity. You are part of the church, and thus you are called to be “the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:23). Starting with the people closest to you—your family, community, workplace, local church—how can you show the fullness of Jesus’ love, compassion, truth, and justice?

Be prepared to serve in ways that do not necessarily showcase your most impressive skills. When Jesus and his disciples walked into a dining room with dirty feet, there was a need for a servant to wash them. Of course, Jesus—miracle-worker as he was—could have waved his hands and transformed their grimy toenails into spa-like perfection. Instead, he got a washbasin and scrubbed them by hand. The point is to do what needs to be done, not to pass over needs simply because they don’t precisely fit your “area of expertise.”

On the other hand, given your unique background, interests, and experiences, you may notice needs others do not. Do you notice when someone is discouraged? Or are you especially burdened for people who can’t pay their bills? Do you have a solid grasp of theology, combined with a genuine love for Jesus? Do you notice the need for more aesthetic beauty—whether musically or visually—in the church and beyond? Are you comfortable speaking to others? Are you alert when someone seems to be weakening in their commitment to Jesus, and feel burdened to encourage them? All those represent opportunities to move toward the goal of making Jesus’ presence known and felt.

Ability

Granted, not every need you notice is a need you can meet. Meeting the need depends on many factors, including your age, resources, experience, and skills. It is also important to have open conversations with other people with experience who know you and are striving toward the same goal. “I see this need,” you might say. “Is this something you think I’m suited for? Should I try this?” As a general rule, when a need you see intersects with your ability to move toward the goal, seek to meet it.

I believe that it is a mistake to wait to discover what your spiritual gift is. Rather, I believe that in general you will discover as you are serving that what you are doing is really a Spirit-given way of building up the church.

Others Need You.
You Need Others.

One last thing deserves to be said. If there’s a danger in obsessing over what your spiritual gift is, there’s also a danger in focusing exclusively on what you can do to serve. This could be simply another form of church-disintegrating self-centeredness. Be just as alert and receptive to the ways in which other believers are making Jesus’ presence real to you as well. This is the point in Paul’s extended metaphor of the church as a body in 1 Corinthians 12. Just as one part can’t say, “I’m not needed here,” so no part can say to another, “I have no need of you.” You need others just as much as they need you.