Testimony Time

[Irourparr]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name.

 

[Chrysostom]

You speak of gifts and blessings, and that is well, for every good thing comes from above. But consider the purpose of these gifts. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the common profit, not for private exaltation. When you ask for your gifts to grow abundantly with protection, examine your aim. Are you seeking these things for your own perfection, or to build up the body of Christ? For nothing is so pleasing to God as to live for the common advantage.

You say you strive for perfection, yet you fall short. This is the mark of a soul that loves Christ, but beware lest you trust in your own strength. Even the gifts you carry are not your own; they are the gift of grace, a free gift. And the greatest gift is not the word of wisdom, nor faith, nor any working of power. I show you a more excellent way: charity. Without it, though you speak with the tongues of angels and have faith to remove mountains, you are nothing. The wise men did not come with empty hands; they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh, gifts that symbolized knowledge, obedience, and love. That is the true sacrifice.

You claim that God did not make a mistake when He chose you. That is true, but take care, for many who received gifts did so even while unworthy, and yet heard in the end, "I never knew you." Gifts are not a sign of perfected virtue, but a call to greater service. If you have zeal and forwardness, more will be given; but if you wrap your talent in a napkin and merely admire it, even what you seem to have will be taken away. Let your good deeds flow without calculation, as you say you do not seek return. That is excellent, for charity seeks not her own. Yet remember that all true blessing is Christ's work. The star in the sky led the magi not by its own light, but by the inward illumination of God. So let your desire be not merely for visible gifts, but for that inward grace which makes you a debtor to God. When you suffer for Christ, you have Christ for your debtor; here is a gift more wonderful than any miracle. Turn your heart, then, to the service of others, for by this you will manifest the Spirit truly, and your abundance will be not a strain, but a river of living water.

 

[Silas]

Your testimony of God’s faithfulness and the love you have for our Lord Jesus is evident. You have seen how His timing is never late, and your desire to honor Him with your life, striving for excellence and blessing others without expecting repayment, mirrors the heart of a true servant. That outflow of gratitude because God has blessed you is a wonderful thing, and it shows His love at work within you.

As you speak of the gifts you were born with and your longing for them to grow, I want to share some truths from Scripture that I think will encourage you. In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul spent significant time teaching about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He made it clear that there are many different kinds of gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. The Spirit decides which gifts each believer receives, distributing them just as He wills. No one has every gift, but each of us is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the good of everyone else. So your gifts are not simply for your own benefit; they are treasured parts of how God wants to build up His church.

It is right to desire spiritual gifts earnestly. Paul even tells us to eagerly want the gifts that build others up most effectively. Yet he also points us to something even more excellent than any particular gift: love. Love is the atmosphere in which every gift is meant to operate. Without love, even the most dramatic spiritual display becomes empty. Love never fails, while the gifts we depend on now will one day no longer be needed, because we will be with the Lord and see him face to face. Love endures forever.

As you pray for an abundant increase and protection over your gifts, remember that the Spirit is sovereign. We cannot demand a certain gift or insist on a particular manifestation. Instead, we can humbly ask, “Lord, use me however You see fit. Manifest through me whatever gifts will strengthen others and bring glory to Jesus.” That kind of prayer aligns with the fact that God makes no mistake in choosing you. He placed you in the body exactly as He pleased, and the gifts He has already woven into your life are the very gifts needed for the place He has assigned you.

At the same time, never neglect the daily expression of love. Your kind deeds done without looking for a return are a beautiful reflection of that love. Keep following hard after love, and while you do, earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially those that will serve and strengthen the whole body. As you stir up the gifts that are already in you, be watchful for how the Spirit might entrust you with even more opportunities to be His instrument to a needy world. Your faith has indeed connected you to the love and obedience that flow from Jesus. Stand firm in that, and continue to use every blessing you have received as a channel of His grace to others.