“You are the light of the world. ….Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:16
WRITING PROMPT
Often we make New Year’s resolutions or set personal goals without first acknowledging the light already shining within us. Scripture and faith tradition call that light a “spiritual gift,” a talent or personal strength imbued in each of us by Divine love and shared with the help of the Holy Spirit. When we recognize, embrace, and share spiritual gifts with others, we experience the joy of living authentically, without seeking external validation or trying to please others. Understanding spiritual gifts starts with seeing ourselves as God sees us.
In your next Spiritual Reading session, follow one or more of the links below to inventories of spiritual gifts from Scripture and tradition. Write down 2-3 gifts you’ve been given, but don’t stop there. Because the immensity of God’s love is impossible to quantify, include three more gifts unique to you, anything from the gift of activism to the gift of music to the talent of making incredible chocolate chip cookies.
Then in the “resolve” step, answer this question as honestly as you can: “How can I share my gift of _________today, next week, next year given my needs, responsibilities, and resources, and the needs of others.
What am I called to do?”