Devotional: Never Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth

If you are anything like me, you have questioned what your spiritual gifts are, or what each gift is for that matter. I know that I have special gifts, but I always thought that when it came to spiritual gifts, I didn't have what it takes to truly do any good. I was reading my bible last night, praying about what I should do for my next devotional. I had some ideas, but none of them really seemed to pan out. For some reason I kept hitting a wall. So I gave it over to God and that's when he gave me this scripture. 1 Corinthians 12:12-31: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not the eye, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact Gad has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given great honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each of of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those peaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all teachers? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts." This scripture clearly told me that though I may not have the same gifts as others, my gifts are valuable to the body of Christ. This applies to you as well. If you wonder what your gifts are, then pray about it and God will show you. Don't ever think though that your gifts are not of value, because your gift matter just as much as anyone else's. Romans 12:6 says, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us..." Not everyone has the same gifts and God did this for a reason. He has a plan for each person on how they can be used in the body of Christ. Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." So don't feel down! Know that you are special, and you have a purpose! God will use your gifts to do wonderful things!