“(Jesus) told me that I was to depend on Him for everything; no action undertaken on your own, even though you put much effort into it, pleases Me, I understood this [need of] dependence” Divine Mercy in my soul # 659
“all are inspired by One and the same Spirit, Who apportions to each one individually as He wills” 1 Corinthians 12:11
We can desire all the gifts and blessings from God that our heart can dream of but it isn’t our decision on which we receive. We could desire to have a tremendous gift of prophecy, to be a visionary, and be able to speak great things directly from God’s own plan. But, if God doesn’t will to apportion that gift to the soul, it is not our place to demand the gift or doubt God’s plan. We all have a place in God’s plan and all bring very specific gifts to play. ‘For the does not consist of one member, but of many… If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing?’ 1 Corinthians 12: 14-17
I won’t lie, I desire strong gifts of God. I pray daily for God to open my soul to receive every one of His gifts. But, I surrender all my gifts to God’s plan. I don’t ask to be a Patrick Campbell with his gifts, nor do I ask to be Pope Benedict, or St. Francis; I desire to be the saint that God made ME to be. That means to learn to use all the gifts that He has given me already, as well as to be open to the receipt of new, developing gifts or even never receiving specific gifts like prophecy or tongues.
I would love to have the gift of healing. To lay hands on someone suffering an illness and watch God’s power pour through them and heal their body with the power of the apostles, of Jesus Himself. But, how can I ever doubt that if God wants to show His power through someone’s healing, it will occur somehow. And, how could I not use my gift of faith and intercessory prayer to lift the person to God and know all is in accord to His Divine Will? To not use the gifts God gave me because I wanted a different gift or was upset that I didn’t have a desired gift would be to spit in His Face.
Again, this doesn’t say that we can’t and shouldn’t ask God to open our hearts to more of His Gifts, more of His Divine Presence in our lives and souls. No, this is a matter of simple trust. Trust that God has us exactly where we need to be, when we need to be there and armed with the tools we need.
I know God has given me a very specific set of gifts to be used in different situations. The Road of Faith blog is an outlet (and growth point) of some of these gifts. This is a place that God speaks to me and I can only hear Him if I am totally focused on His Presence – I have a way to go yet to find total peace in this. Another place that God has called me to minister with His Gifts is my workplace and family. God has been training me all my life for these ministries.
A gift forms a ministry and the ministry is uplifted and strengthened by the gift. The gifts that come from me at home or at work cannot be not forced, they must be natural. And, to be nature, one must be open to God’s presence, and willing to allow Him to work through oneself. Willing to be open to God’s work in the way He wills. To trust that God will give you all the gifts you need to have for a moment or provide another to make complete what you lack. I pray God reveals Himself to me through the gifts He’s given me in the moments I’m asked to be His minister. Once when I had accepted a role for which I thought I was very underqualified, I offered this prayer to God, “Jesus, I know You are present and have been through my life. Please open my eyes to see You in the present moment instead of in hindsight”. This constant prayer has opened my eyes to see God’s actions in and through me; to see and hear Him much more often.
A soul cannot ‘possess’ a charismatic gift, the gifts are God’s. The gifts are the way He will manifest Himself through the soul. The soul can only yield to the gift. To yield is to surrender to God’s Will and receive that which He apportions and to trust God with the rest. But, to do so, one must be present in the moment, trusting God with everything else.
Always give praise and thanks to the Father for His Divine Wisdom.