Understanding the Gifts God Bestows

The Spirit Comes
Woven together in Love

Gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:11-16  The Message

^10-13 The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions. We didn’t learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we’re passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.
^14-16 The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah’s question, “Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?” has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit.

For Reflection 

A friend was aghast when I revealed that I rarely make and commit  thoroughly to a plan, because God always changes them.  My planning is always focused but always leaves room for responding to unexpected circumstance.  I have been known as a master of exploiting current circumstances!  I am comfortable with my approach to living.  Some, however, have a gift for making plans, I do not.

Whether one is good at making plans is not the issue.  The issue is wheather one's own commitment to a plan interferes with one's ability to change and follow a new direction whispered by the Spirit.

Pray

that you will take time to listen to the whispered plans of God.  Pray that you will sacrifice your unspiritual self to serve in Gods' plan for you.