In Touch - December 20, 2005
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- Updated Dec 20, 2005
In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley
Tuesday December 20, 2005
Exhortation — A Spiritual Gift
A believer with the motivational gift of exhortation will be focused on discovering the root cause of someone else’s difficulty, identifying God-honoring responses, and finding ways to maximize spiritual growth in the process. They will also…
• See God’s presence in difficulties. In their advisory capacity, they will view trials as opportunities for spiritual pruning, growth, and discovery. The Spirit enables them to discern God at work in people’s struggles and express what they observe.
• Become personally involved. These brothers in the Lord prefer to give their message in face-to-face meetings. Seeing another person’s response helps them to identify the heart issues involved and the biblical principles that apply.
• Be teachable. Because their focus is on spiritual maturity, they are willing to make changes in their own lives. The insights gained through their personal experiences will allow them to help others.
When believers with this gift follow the Spirit’s lead, the Lord bestows wisdom about motives and solutions; otherwise, they speak only from personal opinion. Staying in step with God sharpens their awareness of spiritual growth in others and leads to discovery of creative answers to problems, whereas on their own, they tend to be apathetic and uninspired. What’s more, drifting from God can dampen their enthusiasm and reduce a loving attitude to a judgmental one.
Do you feel energized in your Christian service? If not, examine whether you are using your spiritual gift.
