God’s Prerogative in the Giving of Gifts

June 02, 2023

By Brooke Holt

”For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

Every child makes the following great proclamation at some point in their lives: “That is not fair!” Personally, I have spoken those words, and I have heard them from the lips of my children and others. And then, I find humor and frustration in remembering my mother’s famous words, “Life is not fair”. So true -- yet so hard to understand as a child and even sometimes as an adult.

Life is not fair, and neither is God. If you stop and think about it, you don’t want God to be fair. You sin abundantly! It is only through the death and resurrection of Jesus, you are completely forgiven, your slate is wiped clean, and you are given the righteousness of Jesus Christ. While certainly not fair, it is so very good!

In that goodness of God, we see a totally different prerogative in God's giving of spiritual gifts. The Lord distributes spiritual gifts to every one of his children, including you, but those gifts are not the same yet they all have value in his kingdom. Some speak words of prophecy, some teach, some heal, some discern, some speak in tongues - just the beginning of the list that Paul provides. He points out we have many, many different spiritual gifts, but only one gift-giver. Thankfully, that perfect gift-giver has a perfect plan for every gift and every recipient of his gifts.

May you, as the recipient of his gifts delight in his giving and in his plan today. Then go use those gifts to bless others! And may we trust and embrace God’s prerogative enough to surrender our own.

Reflection:

Have you considered the variety of gifts given to the people of God? You have a gift! Are you enjoying it and using it or are you longing for a different gift or comparing your gift to another person? How might the Lord want to minister to your heart today? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resource:

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a "gift" who will guide us, lead us, and empower us. Yet many believers don't experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This unique Christian small group Bible study provides a space in which we can explore what it truly means to "walk in the Spirit" on a daily basis. The Spirit-Filled Life small group curriculum centers on a 6-part video teaching series examining the life-giving and creative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Begin to experience the gift today!