Before Jesus ascended to be with the Father, in John 16:7, Jesus told His disciples that it was to their benefit that He would go away. How could that be? What could be better than having God in the flesh hanging out with them? Jesus said that the reason it would be better for the disciples is that He was going to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and He gives every believer spiritual gifts to be used to build up the Body of Christ. Some of these gifts are described in today’s passage.

1 Corinthians 12:6-11 is filled with verses that prompt questions and may be hotly debated in church circles. For example: What are the gifts spoken about in this passage? How do we define how these gifts are manifested? Are the lists included in 1 Corinthians and other passages exhaustive? Are there other gifts not specifically named that we see demonstrated in the New Testament church?

If your head is spinning, I apologize. This subject can be confusing and various Christian traditions focus on different interpretations of these passages. Yet, one thing we do know from Scripture is clear. It is the Holy Spirit who gives every believer spiritual gifts to bless and advance His kingdom here on earth. The exercise of these gifts not only builds up the local and global body of Christ, but they also give us great joy and purpose as we partner with the Holy Spirit’s work in our world.

Today: Consider how God has equipped you to serve His church. Think about times when you have enjoyed serving the church. What were the spiritual gifts you may have been exercising?