What spiritual gifts does a person have
Priest offers guidance on sober view of one's own soul
Alexander Filonenko asks:
How can one find out which gifts of the Holy Spirit God has placed in the soul of a particular person?
Archpriest Vasily Kucher answers:
First, we need to clarify the terms a little, because "gifts" usually means different things. There are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the Prophet Isaiah speaks of: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of God. These are not the "specialization" of one person. The Holy Spirit wants to give them to every Christian.
And then there are the spiritual gifts that the Apostle Paul writes about in his First Epistle to the Corinthians: to one is given the word of wisdom, to another knowledge, to a third the gift of healing. "There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." Here each person really does have something of his own. This category can also include the ordinary abilities given by God - the ability to comfort, to teach, to organize, to make something with one's hands.
How can one understand what is truly one's own? It seems to me the answer is simple - through service. We read in the Apostle Peter: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another." That is, a gift is revealed not when a person reflects on himself, but when he begins to do something for others. A gift is not an adornment; it is not "worn," it is used to serve. A good sign is when you succeed in doing something for people that benefits them and brings you peace (not pride, but precisely peace). And when people themselves come to you for exactly this. And, of course, it is very useful to ask your spiritual father, because from the outside it is seen better.
But! Many begin to seek special gifts in themselves - clairvoyance, healing, visions. The Fathers spoke of this very sternly and called such a desire a direct road to spiritual delusion.
Interestingly, the Apostle Paul, having listed the gifts, says: "Earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way." And then comes the famous 13th chapter - on love. This gift is certainly placed in each of us. God will reveal the rest when it is needed.
