Every follower of Christ was gifted by God. These spiritual gifts are wide and varied (see Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12), and their impact on the forward movement of God’s Kingdom activity is essential. Peter said, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10, NLT). 

Before we can “use them well to serve one another,” we must first discover which gifts God has deposited within us. A spiritual gifts assessment can prove very helpful in making some initial discoveries. I’m a huge proponent of these assessments, but I’ve also learned the value of personal reflection. 

Personal reflection will help you understand the various spiritual gifts, gauge your personal experience with each gift and ultimately focus on what you are most likely gifted to do.  To assist you in this reflection process, I recommend four insightful questions. Ask yourself each of these questions to help you determine which gifts God has given to you. These gifts are how you will most likely make your greatest contribution in the Kingdom of God. 

Question #1:Am I satisfied? You should experience fulfillment and satisfaction when using a spiritual gift. This doesn’t mean you’ll never feel anxious or uncertain, especially in the early stages of gift awareness. Nor does it mean that you’re seeking strokes for your ego or accolades for your accomplishments. However, when you operate in your “gift zone,” you usually experience a genuine sense of fulfillment. You feel as though you’re doing what you were created to do. 

Question #2: Is God glorified? There should be a peace that God is glorified by the use of your spiritual gifts. This gets to the heart of your motives, and it reveals the “why” behind your attempt to exercise a gift. If God is not glorified when you lead, administer, show mercy, serve, teach (or exercise any other gift), then take a closer look at what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Is it truly a gift, or are you trying to fill an affirmation void in your life? 

Question #3: Are others edified? You should be able to point to evidence that people or situations are encouraged, strengthened or helped when you use your spiritual gifts. Nothing beats hard evidence. If your gifts are making things better, breathing life into people or helping people and projects flourish, it’s probably a good sign you’re functioning in your giftedness. 

Question #4: Is gifting verified? Do you have trustworthy people who will speak honestly into your life about your gifts? True gifting is usually verified by the positive, unsought feedback of others. If you have to fish for a compliment, it’s usually not authentic. 

Positive answers to these four questions provide fairly reliable confirmation that you have a specific spiritual gift. Don’t throw out possible gifts if one of these indicators is missing, but do pay special attention to the areas where you have the greatest support. Sometimes you simply need more experience, especially if you’re young, before you can adequately answer each question or confirm your spiritual gifts.