Finding My Spiritual Gifts

[buzzoff1031]

How does one go about find their Gift from the Holy Spirit? I hear some talk about discerning spirits and being strong prayer warriors and what not. And I hear this just as much from Catholics as from Protestants...so any ideas?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

First, let me clear up a misconception you may or may not have. All the Gifts (and Fruits) of the Holy Spirit are given freely and available to all the faithful. The Holy Spirit doesn't offer one person only courage and another person only piety. However, in our different life circumstances and through the choices we make, a certain path for one gift to take priority or for us to choose to make more of one gift than another can be the case. The faithful should do their best to be open to all the gifts and to use them prudently and according to God's will.

That aside, if you're meaning the more personal gifts (like some people, as you said, are made for deeper contemplation, while others are willed by God to have a dry time at prayer), it all depends on God's will for you and the gifts and talents you will need to accomplish His will. I would ask God to reveal to you His will for your life and the gifts you will need to accomplish that will. Oftentimes, spiritual directors tell their students that God's will can be discerned through prayer, as well as through stepping back and looking at our lives. If we are attracted to asceticism and like to make sacrifices for God in the way of giving up worldly things, then perhaps we might go to prayer asking God if He intends for us to join a monastic community. If we love children and can't see ourselves as anything but a parent, then God is probably calling us to married life (but we should still take it to prayer; perhaps God's will is for you to become a spiritual parent instead). As we discern God's will, we will start noticing the gifts He's given us (since it's hard to see oneself clearly, sometimes God will put people in our lives who will tell us our gifts..."you're so generous" or "you're so joyful"). Sometimes also God will put people in our lives to challenge us (I remember being rebuked to a teacher in high school for being so self-centered...and after beginning at that time to examine my own tendencies, I've realized that if I want to be a saint, I need to overcome my pride more than anything); these people can, in a way, tell us the gifts we don't have, but need to ask God for (i.e. humility).

Anyway, I hope I've helped. I'm going to ask the mods to move this thread to Transmundane Lane where more people can reply and I think you'll get a more thorough answer.

God bless,

Micah