Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. Now to each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
As every man has received his own special gift, even so minister to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.
You are gifted as a believer in Jesus Christ. However, the gift(s) you've received are not for you, but for the person to whom you're ministering. When God gives you His spiritual gifts, he does so in order to give you the power to help someone else. He knows who your contacts will be. He knows what your experiences are, your circumstances, your particular intellectual abilities, your interests--and He tailors your gifts to you, but also to meet the needs of the people in your life. in most cases, you are not meant to minister to everyone. You fit and fill the needs of people God has placed in your life, and the people He's sent you for ministry are usually the ones with whom you're already in contact, and the people you'll meet in the course of your life. The key to ministering to them is to hear what God has to say to you specifically about the people you're ministering to--what do THEY need? How can you help THEM? It's also necessary to learn to listen to the people God sends you. We've all seen skits of situations where there is a total disconnect between the person who's supposed to be listening and the person in need. Unfortunately, that particular problem is very real in the spiritual world. It happens often. Remember that failure to listen is failure to minister properly. This is why Jesus (even He!!) often asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" And then He listened. You can minister to the people God sends you. Start by listening to God, and listen to them as well. And then help them the way God shows you. It's almost too simple, but that's how it's done. No ministry without hearing, No speaking without listening. In this way, your ministry to others will be powerful and blessed.
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