The difference between abilities, sometimes called “natural talent” (in the sense of in-born), and spiritual gifts can be confusing. We give at least lip service to the notion that talents, or abilities, are gifts from God. We talk, for example, about “the gift of music.” That suggests abilities and talents originate beyond us. But then, what’s the difference between an ability and a spiritual gift?

Music is a good example. Is it a spiritual gift? (Music is an enjoyable and vital part of worship.) Or is it a talent? (“Listen to her sing. She is so talented.”) Music, though often mentioned in the Bible in connection with worship of God, never appears on any of the “spiritual gift lists.” Therefore, it is a talent, or ability. But if it is a talent, does that mean musical ability is something we summon up and develop ourselves, independent of God? Does God only get involved with distributing spiritual gifts? No.

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The key to this process is your S.H.A.P.E. – your Spiritual gifts,Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experience. When you input key information from your S.H.A.P.E. profile, this site will suggest serving opportunities tailored to who God has created YOU to be.

One thing comforting about the concept of S.H.A.P.E. is that we don’t need to fret too much over the distinction between spiritual gifts and abilities, because discovering both are a part of knowing our S.H.A.P.E. for ministry. If you have it, be it a spiritual gift or ability, let’s use in ministry! Yet the longer we study this, the more distinction we can find.

Abilities are God-given, just like spiritual gifts. The distinction between the two is not that one is God-given (spiritual gifts) and one is not (abilities). Let’s be clear: both abilities and spiritual gifts are God-given.

The distinction between them lies in to whom they are given and for what purpose. Abilities are God-given capacities to provide for ourselves and serve other people whether on behalf of the Body of Christ or not. Again, using music as an example: Music as an ability serves people whether on behalf of the Church or not. Music is certainly God-given and serves others. Not all people have the gift of musical ability.

Abilities, though God-given, never the less require nurture to bring to full bloom. Again, using musical ability as an example. If a talented young Caruso were to sing side by side us in the kindergarten choir, the audience may not notice too much difference. But the training and nurture that we all might receive would soon pay off in our young Caruso’s voice. He would get remarkably better, while our voices, though they might improve, would not reach his level. That’s because his gift of musical ability is in-born. The same could be said using athletic ability as an example. Though we might train as hard and as long at bicycling, we will never reach the level of performance of a six-time Tour de France winner like Lance Armstrong. We may not have in-born athletic abilities. We have been given other abilities. Even though our young Caruso and Lance Armstrong have to work hard at developing their abilities, they should never the less be thankful to the God who is the source of their gifts of music and athletic ability.

Take prophesying as another example. Prophecy is the gift of speaking to others for God. A modern example is preaching. Preaching is a spiritual gift, given by God, but it has usefulness only on behalf of the church. As a spiritual gift, it is not given to just anybody, but to those within the body of Christ. The purpose of any spiritual gift, preaching included, is to nurture and build up the body of Christ. Not glorify the preacher. Preaching is not much valued in the secular world. Try to get a job as a preacher in a modern corporation! It is not meant to be. Even evangelistic preaching, which speaks to the unchurched, originates within the body of Christ taking all its substance from it.

What about teaching? Teaching is listed as a spiritual gift, yet it is often used outside the body of Christ as well. Is it a spiritual gift? Or is it an ability? It is both. Teaching in the Church is a spiritual gift because as it is used in the New Testament, it refers to teaching the gospel. Those who have the spiritual gift of teaching are those who can bring clarity and understanding of the gospel and its implications on behalf of the body of Christ. Those who have the ability of teaching can bring clarity and understanding of secular subjects to those inside and outside the body of Christ.

The following table clarifies the distinction between abilities and spiritual gifts:

Again, we’re thankful for the notion of S.H.A.P.E. Even if the distinction between spiritual gifts and abilities is not clear, both are God-given aspects of who we are. If we have it, God will use it!

How can we discover our abilities? It’s natural to begin with what we do vocationally. The word “vocation” come from the Latin word vocare which means the work a person is called to by God. Let’s be clear that a “vocation” may be a paid position. That is the way we usually use the term, synonymous with “profession.” But your vocation may also be as a full time parent or homemaker. Both are vocations. Frederick Buechner says, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

Abilities is probably the most utilized portion of S.H.A.P.E. For years, we in the Church have learned to tap people’s vocational abilities. Those who are accountants vocationally, for example, are often asked to serve on the finance committee. Those who teach for a living are often asked to teach Sunday School. Those who care for children are often asked to work in or run the nursery.

Yet, it’s also true that the last thing someone who teaches all day wants to do on Sunday morning is teach! The last thing an accountant wants to do sometimes is count the church’s money! There are other, less well known avenues of ability to explore.

What about our hobbies? What do we like to do? Some just love to retire to the shop or sewing room to make things. That reveals a creative flair. The church has lots of need for people with a creative side. Some folks can fix anything. They have mechanical ability. Strange as it may seem, things in the Church break, too. We need lots of people who can fix things. Some people have discovered that computing is not only enjoyable, but they seem to have an aptitude for it. Photography, sports, woodworking, auto repair, fishing, sewing, community theater acting, flower arranging, cooking, reading are hobbies or interests which indicate abilities we may have but not normally think about in connection with ministry. But God can use them all.

Another fruitful gold mine of abilities lies in the things we would like to do. What would you like to try your hand at if you had the time and resources? Bob says, “I remember that I always thought I would like being a movie director to exercise my ‘creative flair.’ But of course, my career at that time was as a chemical engineer, so that was not possible. When my church started building a new sanctuary, I exercised my creative side when I produced a multi-media slide show of the event. It was used to celebrate what God had done in that church.”

Some people feel uncomfortable when they name their abilities. These people feel that their abilities are “nothing special.” This is not surprising because your abilities make things come easy for you. One Christian lady we know is incredibly gifted with the ability to feed large groups of people. Not only is she a wonderful cook, but her management skills in the kitchen and her hospitality gifts combine to make her a wonderful “minister of food.” But during a S.H.A.P.E. discovery workshop, she confessed feeling these ability gifts were no big deal. This is because it comes easy to her to accomplish that ministry. Yet she was surprised to discover how few people in the church could do what she does so naturally!

What does the Scripture have to say about abilities? When Moses received instructions to build the tabernacle for God in the wilderness, we are told that “skilled men” made it as God had commanded (Leviticus 36:8). The same would later be true when Solomon built the first Temple for God. Skilled musicians filled the courts of the Old Testament Temple and the churches of the New. The New Testament describes several women who supported Jesus’ ministry. That probably included the financial fruits of their labors which resulted from application of their abilities.