Header photo by Jessica Podraza on Unsplash
In the last post, we considered whether ordinary mortals can posses super powers.
Absolutely!
Every Jesus-follower has received one or more gifts of the Spirit. When we align our hearts and actions with God’s purposes, the Holy Spirit sparks our natural abilities or talents with life and supernatural power that brings results far beyond what we could imagine. Sometimes these gifts go beyond characteristics already developed to unique and divinely imputed energies which greatly surpass anything in the natural realm.
As a recap, these gifts are designed to:
- Reveal God’s truth.
- Call people into deeper relationship with the Creator.
- Counter the effects of evil.
As believers, we have been created to partner with God to bring about His good purposes of redemption through the use of our gifts, talents, and super powers. We are privileged to discover how we have been designed so that we can function in the full capacity and glory for which God intends.
How to discover one’s super powers
- Find your core desires
I must spend some time considering what truly motivates me. This might happen through prayer, journaling, reflecting on childhood dreams and current daydreams, or paying attention to the things that cause me great delight or anguish. These are often areas in which I am called to play a part.
Perhaps one of my responses is “financial freedom”. Then I ask for what purpose? Here are some of my personal thoughts:
- To have extra money to bless individuals and meaningful organizations
And again, for what purpose or who is my target population?
- To initiate and fund life skills classes for pregnant teens
What moves me about this population?
- Without intervention, they are statistically at high risk for a myriad of social ills.
- Several lives are impacted by the outreach to the teen girl (her child, the boyfriend, and possibly the larger family circles).
- Despite decreases in recent years, teens continue to have relatively high pregnancy rates.
- This has been a recurring theme in my heart for many years.
I now have more clarity on the deeper drives of my heart. It may be necessary to repeat the purpose questions two or more times to dive deeper into the true focus areas.
2. Ask God to reveal what He has planted into your heart
Frequently, I find myself asking the Lord about this stirring along these lines:
- Is my current thinking and direction the path I am to walk?
- How am I to build and strengthen the gifts you have given me?
- What should I do now with what I know and believe to be my calling?
- Who do I need in my life now, either as a mentor/co-traveler for this direction or as someone to whom I shall minister?
- Grant me wisdom to walk in your ways and let your power shine in my actions.
3. Talk with trusted others about what you are discovering about yourself
- Some starting-point questions include: “What makes me unique? What do you think I do particularly well? What is my strongest skill or characteristic?”
- Often, friends can affirm the God-directed calling by observing my actions and conversations.
- They can also provide a reality check by asking open-ended questions about the underlying motives, proposed direction, or resources needed for the end goal.
- They might have connections with others who share the gifting and passions.
- They can pray for greater clarity in the use of the gifts and provide encouragement when obstacles arise.
4. Look for opportunities to use your gifts
As with finding the vocation of your dreams, you may not know what really stirs your heart until you do it. AND, the first try may not go as smoothly as expected. Sometimes training and practice are needed to develop the skills and be prepared for doors God will open down the road.
- Volunteering: Is there an agency or opportunity which aligns with your goals and passions? This could be within your current job, school, church, family circle, social groups, or something brand new. I have chosen to connect with a crisis pregnancy center to learn more about the population, the needs, and the resources available.
- Training: Classes, seminars, books, focus groups, etc. provide insights and techniques which hone and draw out the skills.
- Mentoring: Connect with others working in a similar realm and see if one will provide guidance and feedback.
5. Repeat the process and refine the super power
Through these steps, I begin to see the stirrings that energize and give me joy. There may also be a sense of God’s protection, closeness, or encouragement. That doesn’t mean that the calling will be easy. (Have you read the stories of Jeremiah, Elijah, Jesus, or Paul? They knew precisely what God asked them to do, and they experienced very difficult times. However, they each could talk about a joy in fulfilling their purpose in the Lord.)
God’s goal is for His people to walk in the fullness of who He created us to be. He has an eternal purpose for us to fulfill under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and He will take care of the logistics in bringing that to pass. All I need to do is cooperate and align my heart with His!
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift . . . for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 2:10; 4:7, 12-13
What has been your process in discovering your super powers? What are the dreams which stir your heart? What amazing works has God done through you?
Designed to Draw Near 