I like gifts...

I like gifts.
Who doesn't?!
Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, random gifts for no real reason at all!
A gift is a gift, and if people want to give them, I like to receive!
But what about God's gifts?
You know, those spiritual ones that the Bible says us Christians will receive.
Do I like those?
Do you?

I have been thinking a lot about God's gifts lately.
Well, not just lately. I think about them a lot, actually.
A friend asked me today if I ever feel separated from the church because of the particular gifts that God has given me.
Had to think about that for a few minutes...
yes, yes, I do.
You see, I believe that I know the gifts that God has given me.
I also believe that I do my best (most of the time) to walk out those gifts in my life - (see previous post on conviction!)

In Romans 12 it says this: "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."

My desire is to see my brothers and sisters learn what their God given gifts are and actually start using them! Going along with this desire, I also wish to see people trusting me in my gifts and that I'm using them.
Why is it so hard to trust?

I guess my point in all of this is:
"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.
God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.
Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have." 1 Cor. 12

Lets figure out our gifts and use them! Yes, satan is going to throw things in our paths to try and throw us off - doubt, fear - but if we actually walk out our gifts, the doubt and fear will eventually subside, cause Christ will win out in the end! Lets also trust our comrades when they are using the gifts they know they have. After all, we are meant to be one body and work together.
That's not going to happen until we can do this.

Blessings.