於2015-11-24發佈

主題:屬靈恩賜系列之一 屬靈恩賜其賦予生命的表達
日期:2015年10月5日
作者:Diane Lake

按我們所得的恩賜,各有不同。或說預言,就當照著信心的程度說預言;或作執事,就當專一執事;或作教導的,就當專一教導;或作勸化的,就當專一勸化;施捨的,就當誠實;治理的,就當殷勤;憐憫人的,就當甘心。”(羅12:6-8)

在主根本地改變我的生活之前,身為一個家庭主婦和母親,有一段時間我生活地非常掙扎– 這需要花費我每一丁點的氣力就只是為了維持住我的日常工作。即使是為我的家人準備飯菜這樣簡單的家務,都感覺像是一個巨大的挑戰。

我記得有一次我們接到那時所參加的教會打來的一通電話,詢問我是否能為教會裏一個剛剛生了孩子的家庭做頓飯。

我覺得很對不起在電話那端的那個可憐的女人!我發表了一些言論,闡述了一件事實,那位身為人母者知道她會有一個孩子九個月了,這應該讓她有足夠的時間能來提前準備將飯菜預先放進冰箱的冷凍櫃裏。(我知道,我知道!)如果有人是需要幫忙做飯的,我告訴她 - 這個人是我!

當然,在這個教會裏我再也沒有被要求做類似這樣的事情!撇開那時我所深陷的壓迫和絕望以外,我也知道,我得分最低的恩賜是服事人,而我第二最低分的是憐憫/同情。 (你大概可能已經猜到了!)

這種性質的經常性要求造成我的挫折感而讓我做出那種令人很抱歉的回應。感謝上帝,現在我已經成長到永遠也不會再做出那樣的回應了,但從我當初很糟糕的那時候的光景,加上累積的挫折,我是有些崩潰。

我現在已經明白,那些你有恩賜來從事的事能帶給你生氣蓬勃,滿足和滿意感。如果你覺得被強迫,枯竭,或沮喪,你可能需要重新評估你所服事的領域。在你的屬靈恩賜裏運行理應帶來生命 - 你和其他人的。

屬靈恩賜101

在經文裏有三段主要的經文提到屬靈恩賜。

- 在羅馬書12:6-8 提到動機性的恩賜(motivation gifts),這是原本就賜給我們的。你可以從別人所被吸引的方向或是什麼來促動他們而開始辨識出來他們的傾向,或者是什麼促使他們認識到這種傾向的人。有些人高度具有憐憫人的恩賜,例如,可能會來持續衛護受害者,或者被吸引來拯救動物。一個“勉勵者”(exhorter)忍不住要來鼓勵,而“服務者”(server)往往很善用自己的雙手。

- 哥林多前書12:8-10提到彰顯型的恩賜(manifestation gifts),這是聖靈為了服事他人這樣的目的所呈現出來的表達和活動。這些恩賜是在聖靈充滿後被了解辨識出來,並且是在一個允許指引,開啟和鼓勵的培育的氛圍中,能最好地幫助人們發展出成熟度。

- 最後,以弗所書4:11列出了五重執事(fivefold),或是裝備的恩賜(equipping gifts),這意味著為了合一和成熟來裝備基督的身體。你可能最初並不知道,是否你有一個裝備的恩賜,因為它通常是在一段時間後經由神和其他信徒加以證實。

自由和生命

身為三十年的信徒,我並沒有受過任何關於屬靈恩賜的教導。然後,被聖靈充滿後不久,藉著在我的新教會裏所做的一項恩賜測試,帶給我第一道希望,為什麼這麼多年以來我一直在教會的生活中如此挫折(注1)。

即使我所傳達的信息是基礎性的,但它毫不誇張地改變了我的生命。我從未能滿足別人所期待我的服事領域所產生的罪惡感中釋放得自由,我也能更容易地理解別人的動機和傾向。

我以前所參加的教會提供了一些給婦女服事的途徑。比較與我的恩賜吻合(如教導和先知)這方面領域的機會根本不存在 – 而更糟的是,我被迫去做的任務(如準備餐食/款待和照顧嬰兒)是為了屢行義務或源自罪惡感,最後搞得我遍體麟傷糟糕透頂。

雖然我們全都被呼召要在某種程度上來服事,但我現在可以辨識出某些東西並非我的任務。在認知我們從神所賜的屬靈恩賜以及對於並非從神而來的任務設定界限是有很大的自由和智慧的。

獲得屬靈恩賜的基本認知,也幫助我對於個人關係方面能更深入地了解。舉例來說,我永遠無法理解為什麼我的丈夫在要選擇一家餐廳時不肯說出自己的喜好。它可能看起來是微不足道的事,但當他一直堅持要我選擇時它真的會讓我惱火。

現在我了解到這並不是說他沒有參與或是漠不關心 – 而是他極強的牧養的恩賜在運作。對他而言,我的高興比他的喜好得滿足是要重要的多。他的被造原本就是要來培育,視別人為優先,對此看似將自己的慾望都排除掉。

像這樣的洞見可以促進在家庭,教會的身體以及工作場所內的關係,還有額外的獎勵,他們可以從罪惡感中得釋放。我曾經以為我是個壞媽媽,因為我不喜歡做飯 - 現在我意識到這是與我有什麼樣的恩賜(或是在這種情況下,沒有什麼恩賜)來服事有關。

當然,我還是做飯,我其實還做得相當不錯的!而且我特別喜歡在節慶假日和特殊場合裏寵愛我的家庭。但我不再為烹調不是我生命中的優先事項而感到內疚。雖然我們應該要來款待別人,但我已經學會要如何在更適合神所賜與我的長處中取得平衡。(參徒6:1-4;羅12:13)

這就是為何我們已被賜與的不同恩賜如此特別之處 – 當我們發現自己的長處和短處,我們可以互相取得平衡。無論你的恩賜是什麼,記住,神是故意賞給你的 – 並非不分青紅皂白亂發一場,而且祂打算要帶給他們以及週遭的人們美好的生命!

後記
注1:做一個簡單的谷歌搜索,就會發現有幾個屬靈恩賜的測試的選項跑出來,或是詢問你的牧師或屬靈領袖,是否他們有這方面的評估測試。



The Life-Giving Expression of Spiritual Gifts
October 5th, 2015
By Diane Lake
http://www.generals.org/articles/single/the-life-giving-expression-of-spiritual-gifts/


“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is… serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach… if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” (Rom. 12:6-8, NIV)

Before the Lord radically changed my life, there was a point when I was really struggling as a stay-at-home wife and mom—it took every ounce of my strength just to maintain my daily routine. Even simple chores like preparing meals for my family felt like a monumental challenge.

I remember receiving a phone call from the church we were attending during this time, asking if I would cook a meal for a family in the church who had just had a baby.

I feel sorry for the poor woman who was on the other end of the line! I launched into a discourse in which I elaborated on the fact that the mother had known she was having a baby for nine months, which should have been plenty of time for her to prepare meals in advance to put in the freezer. (I know, I know!) If anyone needed help with cooking, I informed her—it was me!

Of course, I was never asked to do anything similar in this church again! Aside from the oppression and hopelessness I lived in at the time, I also now know that my lowest rated gift is serving, and my second lowest is mercy/compassion. (You may have already guessed!)

Recurring requests of this nature fed an underlying current of frustration which factored into my unfortunate response. Thank the Lord, I’ve grown enough that I would never react that way now, but between the sorry state I was in at that time, plus building frustration, I had a bit of a meltdown.

I have come to understand that the things you are gifted to do bring you a sense of life, fulfillment and satisfaction. If you feel coerced, drained, or frustrated, you might need to re-evaluate the areas where you serve. Operating in your spiritual gifts should bring life—both to you and to others.

Spiritual Gifts 101

There are three main passages in scripture that outline spiritual gifts.

- Romans 12:6-8 lists the motivation gifts, which are “hard-wired” into us. You can begin to recognize these tendencies in others by what they gravitate towards, or what motivates them. Someone highly gifted in compassion, for example, might consistently champion the underdog, or be drawn to rescuing animals. An “exhorter” can’t help but encourage, and a “server” tends to be very good with their hands.

- I Corinthians 12:8-10 contains the manifestation gifts, which are the expression and activity of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministering to others. These gifts are realized after Spirit baptism and are best developed in a nurturing atmosphere that allows for instruction, activation and encouragement toward their maturity.

- Finally, Ephesians 4:11 lists the fivefold, or equipping gifts, which are meant to equip the body of Christ for unity and maturity. You might not know initially whether you have an equipping gift, as it is usually confirmed both by God and other believers over a period of time.

Freedom and Life

For thirty years as a believer, I did not receive any teaching on spiritual gifts. Then, shortly after becoming Spirit-filled, I took a spiritual gifts test through my new church, which gave me the first glimmer as to why I’d been frustrated in church life for so many years.1

Even though the information I’m conveying is basic in nature, it quite literally transformed my life. I found freedom from guilt for not serving in areas expected of me, and I more readily understood the motivations and tendencies of others.

The churches I’d previously attended offered few avenues for women to serve. 
Opportunities in areas more in line with my gifting (like teaching and the prophetic) simply did not exist—and to make matters worse, tasks I was pressured to do (such as food/hospitality and nursery) were done out of obligation or guilt, and I wound up feeling miserable.

Although we’re all called in some sense to serve, I can now recognize when something is not my assignment. There’s great freedom and wisdom in recognizing our God-given gifts and setting boundaries when assignments are not from the Lord.

Acquiring a basic understanding of spiritual gifts also gave me more insight into my personal relationships. For instance, I could never understand why my husband refused to state his preference when it came time to choose a restaurant. It may seem trivial, but it really irritated me when he would consistently insist that I choose.

Now I realize it wasn’t that he wasn’t engaged or didn’t care—it was that his extremely strong pastoral gift kicked in. It is genuinely more important to him that I’m happy than that his own preferences are met. He is “hard-wired” to nurture and put others first, to what can seem like the exclusion of his own desires.

Insights like these can improve relationships within families, church bodies, and workplaces, and, as an added bonus, they can free us from guilt. I used to think I was a bad mother because I didn’t like to cook—now I realize it’s related to how I’m gifted (or not gifted, in this case) to serve.

Of course I still cook and am actually fairly good at it! And I especially enjoy indulging my family on holidays and special occasions. But I no longer feel guilty that cooking’s not a priority in my life. While we ought to practice hospitality, I’ve learned to balance it with things better suited to my God-given strengths. (See Acts 6:1-4; Rom. 12:13.)

That’s what’s so special about the different gifts we have each been given—as we discover our own strengths and weaknesses, we can balance each other out. Whatever your gifts, remember that God gave them to you deliberately—not indiscriminately, and He intends them to bring great life both to you and those around you!

 Endnote
[1] A simple Google search will reveal several options for spiritual gift tests, or ask your pastor or spiritual leader if they have evaluations available.