Do you feel that you have spiritual gifts? If so, what are they and how did you acquire them?

Question

I am not limiting this question to simply those mentioned in the Bible, or an expression in terms of any particular religion; think more broad-minded than that. Do you have any gifts of connecting to others in a manner which might be described as "spiritual"? Do you articulate better on the field of the heart versus the field of mind and word? Can you minister to others in ways that cannot be accurately expressed, yet are very real---a spiritual communication?

If you can relate to such things, how do you define them? Is it empathy? Is it being in accord with soul to such extent as to help lift another's burdens off of their shoulders? I definitely feel there are those who have an intrinsic presence, a capability that is ill-defined, yet palpable; they minister to spirit and soul, and without even seeming to try.

Can such empathic/spiritual ability be acquired, and how so? Do you feel conversant with your fellow man in matters of spirit, and is this ministering to the same?

Answer 1

Interesting that before I read your details, I saw a rather different slant on your question. That is, how I have been lucky spiritually over my lifetime. But gifts as you describe them are the result of those lucky contacts.

For one, a few really fine men have taught me much about love. And since the two best were both Jewish, I suppose you have to include an appreciation for what they learned at their mothers' knees about how to treat a woman.

Second, I was very fortunate in going to the University of Michigan in the early 1970s, when there were some amazing old professors in te philosophy department who had international reputations, had written some of the standard texts, and were very generous with their time and attention to the "po white trash" opportunity student who tried so hard. I specialized in ethics, and the chairman of the department had written the basic text on ethics.

Then I have been lucky enough to make friends with several priests over time, including Roman Catholic, Episcopalean and Eastern Orthodox. None of them ever pressured me to join their church, but the Catholics knew I was an ex-catholic (converted for first husband; excommunicated when I got a divorce), and the Episcopaleans saw me as "sort-of" Episcopalian myself. The Orthodox priest was also a lawyer, and I knew him mostly in that context. But he was also a neighbor who would stop and offer me a ride to work if he saw me waiting at the bus stop.

There was also a period of some 25 years in which I was a witch, a pagan priestess, and had the exquisite experience of manifesting the Goddess for my High Priest. I learned a lot, but it didn't work anymore once he committed suicide. Still, I also learned a lot in recovering from my grief.

More recently, I think I gained a great deal in a short time from my association with the Ethical Society of St. Louis, and have gotten much positive feedback for the one presentation I did there on "Propaganda and Brainwashing." Apparently I have something of a gift of explaining complex ideas in a relatively simple way, because several people have commented on that.

Come to think of it, how does one separate out spiritual gifts from the rest of life? It's all in there together, as part of who I am.

Answer 2

any gifts are bestowed by God as a blessing ; well you may have asked the million dollar question; I don't think anyone can tell you how you get these things and I don't think that you can have one without the other; I consider myself to be very spirtual from early on , so early that I really didn't have any instruction; I had a Grandmother who I know was religious meaning going to church but didn't teach me nor my mother who was too busy with 7 children but personally, I think it came from me being saved from drowning when I was about 2 1/2 ; I really shouldn't be here typing now some 47 years later ; I was alone and walked into a built in pool ; 6 foot end ; I was in the center of the pool when all I remember was scream , scream as loud as you ; it wasn't within me but from outside of me but not spoken , strange to explain; the pool was set back in the yard so quite a distance from the house ; she came running out and skimmed me out and said if not for the ear piercing scream I wouldn't have given it any thought , thinking it was children playing outside; years later, I went back to see if the image in my mind was the same or told to me ; the ladder and view from the pool was exactly as I remembered it to be; I guess the bottom line is that God had a plan for me what that is , I still don't know , I have 4 children now , 3 grown adults and they aren't overly religious but somewhat spiritual so does it came from me almost drowning ? I don't know; do I thank God daily for all the gifts , almost always ; this year , I turned 50 and it turns out to be the most spiritual , soul searching year that I have ever have; do I have explicit trust in God , yes, he always has my back and for that I am eternally grateful ; I find beauty in the flight of a bird, the beauty of a flower, the sound of the ocean waves, the stars in the sky, the orchestra music that fills your soul, the gifts are endless and even if I lost all my possessions , I am so blessed for everything given to me. I hope you find the answers that you are seeking; Merry Christmas.

Answer 3

I have no scripture to back this up, but yes, one can have multiple gifts. One might come directly from the first, just a different discipline from the other. I know some people with many great spiritual gifts, all used for the betterment of others, I might add, and never self serving. Blessed Be! T.

Answer 4

I was born with powerful spiritual abilities, I would not neccassarily refer to them as gifts. I personally believe that they are from Lucifer because I have yet to see where they could do any good, unless you consider the ability too heal or harm myself and others through deep meditation as good. I see it as messing with things that are better left alone, because for every action there is a reaction. For everything you do good, it will always be compensated for by an act of evil. If you vaccum the void it will inevitably be filled with something else. If you sit and think about it there is a polar opposite for almost, if not, everything with very little in between.

Answer 5

I am very good with empathy. I have a knack for understanding how people feel, and why they react, even if I have no experience in their problem/situation. I usually am able to help others with their problems, whether by helping them find a solution, or just getting over it. I don't know if it was something I was born with, or justhave acquired because of the way I grew up.

Answer 6

One thing I have always had trouble with is defining myself, or rather defining aspects of myself. Seeing qualities in others is so much easier for me than seeing them in myself. Spiritual gifts may be there, but if they are, my inner eye seems to always be blind to them.

I just do what for me comes naturally. I treat others exactly how I wish to be treated and perhaps when one lives like that long enough it takes on a life of its own.

I guess for me, the best way to maybe show this is by example. One of my two very closest friends calls me "Lucy" from the Peanuts comic strip because Lucy runs that little booth for advice for a nickel. I've always been there for her, she for me but every time she needs something she'll always give me a nickel - which I promptly put in her son's (my godson's) piggy bank. I never feel bothered and for us to be there for each other that way is just entirely natural and doesn't require thought.

Probably not what you were looking for, but it's the best I could do answering this.

Answer 7

I remember this whole issue very well. People saying "i have the gift" or "God didnt give me that gift". It always made my stomach turn, and I would always speak out about it.

Claiming that you dont have a particular gift was a nice way to rationalize not serving in a particular area of need. It was amazing how all the popular people in the church just never had the "gift" for setting up events or "serving" in the parking lot.

The whole idea of having or not having gifts nullfies the whole concept of developing skills through hard work. Whatever supposed "gift" you dont have today, can well be developed tommorow. Ahhh...but God hasnt given it to you...thus he probably doesnt want you to have it...

Answer 8

yes. i am going to become a shaman. i acquired them by overdosing on robitussin. i sort of died in a way and my body changed and i came back. you could choose to be a shaman but most people believe spirits call you and that's why the traumatic event happens. i usually talk to the more intellectual about it.

if you dunno what shamans do then this is it: we believe that parts of the soul can leave and energy can go to places it doesn't belong and these will cause illness and we must travel to the spirit worlds and find answers and the soul and remove displaced energy. we heal by doing that. many shamans also take on the role of divining the future and storytelling and other such roles.

Answer 9

I'm an artist, and I think art is one of the purest forms of communication from "soul to soul." It can be therapeutic both for the artist and the people who experience his art.

But you seem to mean something more immediate, like something in the "aura" of certain people that radiates automatically, something that those people aren't necessarily conscious of themselves, but that has a definite impact on the people with whom they interact.

I think that's a natural gift of some people, exactly as artistic ability is of others. I don't know that I possess it. I feel like I have my good days and my bad days. I think it's definitely reflective of my interior state. I've noticed that there are times I'm literally magnetic, and other times I'm literally repulsive. I do feel like I'm extremely sensitive to my condition at any given time, and the way if affects other people; but I don't necessarily have as much control over it as I'd like.

Come to think of it - self-consciousness actually seems to kill the magnetism. Like as soon as you start thinking about yourself, even in a positive way, you loose part of that ability to affect other people positively. Maybe that's my problem sometimes...lol. I really seem to connect with people best when I "loose myself."

Answer 10

All spiritual gifts are administered by God through the Holy Spirit. My gift is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive all my sins at the cross of Calvary.