Recently I've struggled a lot with being judgmental and condemning towards people, not intentionally, but that's just how my words and attitudes have appeared. And despite all the warnings from my mentor and the signs my friends have given the past few months, I continued to deliver my words in this manner...so it got me thinking. My parents told me one time about a sermon they had heard about the downside to spiritual gifts. I was looking through our cabinets for a spiritual gift test and i ran across one that had the benefits and pitfalls of gifts. Here are my pitfalls...
1) Discernment--temptation to always be right; easy to trust in personal judgment and not consult God
2) Teaching--tell what people want to hear, not what's truth; legalistic or overly dogmatic
3) Knowledge--ability to "puff up"; prideful; overbearing; insensitive to other people's opinions
4) Prophecy--easy to be pharisaical; negative; judgmental
5) Wisdom--temptation to just use human wisdom; stop listening; prideful
Well, that just clears a whole lot up-not that I'm making up excuses, but at least the last few months make a little more sense. I am believing God is more powerful than any of my "pitfalls." And someday I will manage these gifts with perfection, but for now, I'm truly sorry.
What are your gifts? Have you ever experienced their pitfalls?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
wow. that must be tough to hear. but i'm believing with you that God will help you master your gifts that he has given you.
Serving...identifying who I am by what I do rather than who I am in Christ.
hey! yep i do. im new tho... so it may not be great! haha. im excited to read yours as well! :]
Post a Comment