Christian Living

Natural Talents in the Kingdom of God

June 19, 2023 /

Spiritual gifts are very important to the Church, but sometimes our natural talents get short shrift.

But God created us in the first place with natural talents!

And if we’ve developed them over the years, He will use them just like He uses spiritual gifts, so we are blessed and in turn bless the Kingdom of God and the world that He loves so much.

Some of you may already know your natural talents. Others may be so deeply engrained in your life that you don’t even recognize them as a talent. “Everybody can do this!” you protest.

Probably not.

  • Everybody can breathe.
  • Not everybody can create beautiful designs.
  • Not everybody understands how a machine works.
  • Not everybody can toss off a terrifically detailed and practical project plan.
  • Can everyone learn something about design? Sure.
  • Can everyone learn to make simple repairs? Yes.
  • Can everyone learn to make a no-frills project plan? Of course.
  • But NOT everyone can do what you do at your high competence and speed. Not to mention the fulfillment that comes from using a natural talent.

Do Natural Talents Have Anything to Do with Spiritual Gifts?

Of course they do! Because God gave you both.

Sometimes a natural talent neatly dovetails with a spiritual gift. For example, I’m a teacher and storyteller. These are natural talents for performance that I’ve practiced and developed over the years.

I am also frequently gifted with the gift of teaching in the church community. Here’s the difference:

1. I’ll always be skilled at teaching. I present information well and know how to make it interesting.

2. I won’t automatically have the spiritual gift of teaching. When I’m teaching storytelling to my medieval recreation group, I’m not hoping for the gift of teaching. I am hoping to be a blessing as a person to my students. But when I’m teaching and presenting in the church, my prayer is that God gifts me with His power in the talents He created in me and the spiritual gift of teaching He has chosen to give me.

3. Here’s another example of a connection that’s not so obvious: the gift of prophecy. It’s not related to an inborn talent: none of the “miracle” gifts are. (speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophecy, healing, discernment of spirits, and miracles).

4. HOWEVER, the Lord may well have created you with certain talents and traits that support these gifts in later life. I was not gifted with prophecy until I was in my 60s. (It came as a surprise!) But I am highly imaginative and creative. Although prophecy does NOT come from me, it comes from the Holy Spirit; it’s not surprising that my natural traits of imagination and visual creativity come into play.

So, don’t discount your natural talents! The Lord created them in you for a reason.

How do you know what they are?

There are lots of ways to assess talents, many of which are complicated as all get-out. I’m not a psychologist or academic, so I break them into several simplified categories: music, math-logic, visual arts, mechanical, performance, writing, body, interpersonal, natural world, and domestic arts (which have zip to do with gender or if you’re a homemaker).

When you start identifying and acknowledging your natural talents, especially the ones where you have developed skills, thank the Lord for creating you with talents and giving you the opportunities to develop them!

Then it really gets interesting when you ask Him to reveal how your natural talents and spiritual gifts integrate with one another for great blessing. Finally, take these two things and put them together with your heart’s deepest desires—which the Lord also created in you.

And you have your utter uniqueness in Christ, and your amazing path forward in faith and love to the Lord and blessed service to others.

Do you wish you knew how to do this great stuff? You can! I’m offering “Treasure Mapping” to Christian women entrepreneurs who want to acknowledge God’s greatness in creating YOU… and His love and power in your life.

The group workshop starts on June 29 and the 1-on-1 version can start any time. Exciting stuff! Click here for more!