I have always been interested in taking fun personality quizzes, so when my friend sent me a link to a spiritual gifts test, I was excited to get started.
The test included 125 statements about my personality and my relationship with God. Simple enough. Each statement had 5 answers, from a scale of 0 — completely disagree to 4 — strongly agree. For example, one of the statements was “I often think God is calling me to take the gospel to people who haven’t heard about Jesus” (Question 2).
When all the statements were completed, I just had to transfer them to a profile sheet to see which spiritual gifts were my strongest. Higher scores indicated more dominant gifts, while lower scores meant these spiritual gifts were not strongly present.
Half an hour later, I finished the spiritual gifts test. After plugging in my answers into the Gift Profile Answer sheet and adding up my scores, I discovered my strongest spiritual gifts were service (score: 19/20) and hospitality (score: 18/20). Tied for my third strongest gift (at 17/20 points) were mercy or compassion, helping, and giving.
To be honest, I was a little surprised at my five strongest gifts. I had expected to receive encouragement as my strongest gift, as my love language is words of affirmation. But my friend, the one who sent me the test, was not surprised at all. She told me that I was one of the kindest people she knew, and that I had taught her how to be a more patient friend. Her words really touched me, and I felt compelled to start using my spiritual gifts more often.
I prayed to God to show me how I could further use spiritual gifts to glorify him. To my surprise, he called me to ministry. I have never been a super outgoing girl, so I was surprised at myself when I had an idea to reach out to some of the girls in my Youth Group who don’t attend church as often. This idea would use my gifts of service, mercy/compassion, and giving (emotionally). Especially during a pandemic, I was super excited to message them, because unfortunately, I didn’t think anyone from my church had reached out to them yet.
I reached out to a few girls at first, and they were so happy to hear from me. We planned to do a Zoom call right away, just so we could catch up. I want them to feel loved and appreciated, especially during a pandemic when human contact is so rare.
I am glad I took this spiritual gifts test, because it challenged me to discover my strengths and use them to glorify God, as commanded by the apostle Peter.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10–11, NIV)
Without taking this spiritual gifts test, I would have never reached out to the girls I contacted. I am so thankful that I have found ways to use my spiritual gifts to the best of my ability, and I trust that God will continue to strengthen me as I grow in my relationship with him. I know that God has a plan to continue using me and the talents he has given me to better serve and love others.
