Spiritual gifts

[Susan]

Hey friends! A question has floated into my consciousness from time to time and it resurfaces again tonight, after reading one of Vee's recent posts. Have your special soul gifts and talents been revealed to you yet? I've often wondered what mine are and how they are being used, or will be used. Anyone have clarity on their gifts yet? One of AL's gifts is pretty obvious. I guess my assumption about soul gifts is they aren't just your ordinary sort of talents (i.e. Athletic, smart, good problem solver, etc). When do these become obvious to us? Do we have to experience the new birth, complete cleansing of our soul first? I'd love any insight you guys have on the topic and any revelations you've experienced. Thanks!

[jeanne]

Another one of your wonderful questions, Susan! I hope the topic of our spiritual gifts will inspire a great deal of discussion! Have you been thinking about some of the recent messages from Seretta Kem that you have been transcribing for us? Please feel to copy and paste here, if you feel inspired.

For me the most important perspective is knowing that each one of us has been blessed with gifts by God when we were created and that it is through receiving Divine Love in our souls that they will develop and reveal themselves as we journey through life!

I will return and post more....for now, love and hugs from HOME in Gibsons!! Always, Jeanne

[AlFike]

Good question Susan. Gifts certainly come in many forms and are experienced uniquely by each individual. It would be difficult to list every spiritual gift and I wont try here. Gifts of soul perception and wisdom can start out very subtly and strengthen with the awakening of the soul. Most start out experiencing more acute sensitivity and intuition. Sensing our angel friends around seems to be most common. Visions of seeing lights, spirits, intuitive knowings and insights during prayer are all signs of opening gifts. Feeling God's presence is an important gift as your soul becomes attuned to the Love. Sensing energies flowing into and through you is another common manifestation of spiritual atunement. Sensing the moods, energies and even thoughts of others can come too. These are just a few of the gifts possible and they will strengthen with time. The more one can go into silence and prayer, the more common and overt is the awareness of gifts emerging.

We have two major roadblocks in the conscious knowing of our gifts. They are the inner and outer world. When our material mind is fully engaged and active, the deeper mind ( consciousness of the soul) is hard to know. So prayer and time for meditation will help to open up our sensitivities. An active, busy life, which I know you have Susan, works against us in this regard. Our thoughts and actions direct us to material concerns and the outside world is demanding. So both inner and outer worlds conspire to keep us in full engagement with mind stuff. It is so important to sit in silence and tune out all the rabble. Prayer must also accompany the silence. Consciousness of the Divine Presence can be our first and greatest gift. Without this we are sitting in a vacuum and, for some, this is the goal. Our's is soul awakening, so in its own way our prayers are active, not passive. Sitting in this prayerful and active silence must be practiced and repeated daily if one is to know the gifts that we posses. Just hoping that things will emerge is not enough. You can also pray that your gifts may come to light. Its all about intention and prayerful action. Its not a passive thing, rather it takes time, energy and discipline. Given these three things falling into alignment, you are sure to experience some fireworks of the soul. All in God's timing and what is in harmony with your soul. I'm impatient too Susan and in our world of instant gratification many are not patient enough to let these things unfold. The workings of the soul are complex and at first very subtle. So pray often, pray intensely and pray with intention. In time many marvelous things will bubble up into your consciousness. Hope this helps........Al

[Susan]

Thanks Al and Jeanne! Yes jeanne, being a transcriber plays a part in this question, among others. I must admit, I enjoy thinking and pondering, figuring things out, trying to see how the big picture fits together. Perhaps that's not the best quality, seeing as we are to downplay the mind and connect more with the soul. I'm sure a happy balance is ideal. I feel I may have glimpses of some gifts, but then I question them. I agree though Al...time spent in prayer, developing our souls in god's love is the key! Thank you both for your input!

[Eva]

Hi Susan,

Besides those things mentioned by Al, the Bible (according to Jesus, the greatest spiritual source apart from the Padgett messages) gives quite a list of spiritual gifts, though not necessarily exhaustive. Sometimes the gifts we possess may be more obvious to others than ourselves, and we recognize our gifts from the affirmations of others. Or, we can affirm others who may not quite see their gifts. The most important thing is to practice our gifts in Love -- as without being combined with Love, they become worthless (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

I had been aware of some of my gifts but have become aware of one or two more in the last few years of actively praying for God's Love through the affirmation of a dear friend. So it is a growth process as Al mentions.

Here are several overlapping biblical lists:
Romans 12:4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
Ro 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Ro 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
Ro 12:7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
Ro 12:8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

1Co 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
1Co 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
1Co 12:8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
1Co 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
1Co 12:10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
1Co 12:11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

1Co 12:28 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 speaking in different kinds of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
1Co 12:30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
1Co 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

I hope that this helps.
Love,
Eva

[Susan]

Interesting Eva! Thank you!