There is no shortage of "spiritual gift tests" out there, but most all of them are mostly worthless beyond telling you what you want to do. Everything is laid out in nice little categories so that you can see just what your first, second, and third gifts are. Depending on the list there can be 7, 9 or even 22 different gifts you can have.

Why the discrepancy? Some of it comes down to different faith traditions and understandings on what gifts are and how they work in the church today. Some of it comes down to which verses you focus on. I would submit to you that none of the lists are exhaustive. Just by the fact that Paul offers different lists at different places makes me believe that he is offering the church examples of the ways that God has gifted his people to serve his bride and expand his kingdom. Who knows how many different ways our creative God will use you in your unique capacity to reach into the darkness.

So how do we find out what gifts he's given us? The best advice I've ever heard is this: "Pull your hands out of your pockets and start serving, then see what God blesses your labor." Get out there a do something, or many somethings and see where fruit grows and matures. We've all known someone who "felt called" to be a preacher, but they were consistently terrible. I've known others who didn't feel especially excited or passionate about discipleship, but consistently saw lives changed as they poured into others. God raised up Joseph from a shepherding family to lead the greatest kingdom on the earth at the time. He called Moses to lead Israel out of slavery and Moses actually argues with God! Paul plants, Apollos waters, but it's God who gives the growth.

What finding your gift means, and what it doesn't...

Finding the place where you can best leverage your gifts for the kingdom gives you a place to focus your efforts. It is not permission to neglect the areas where you are less gifted. The great teacher cannot say, "My gift is teaching, I don't have to proclaim." or "I'm an evangelist, I don't need to disciple." We are all called to grow, with the help of the Holy Spirit, in every good thing. The unskilled teacher should grow in his ability to clearly teach the truths of scripture. The awkward social guy still needs to learn how to engage with his non-believing friends and neighbors. The gifted administrator should grow in hospitality. But at the same time, don't neglect the gift of the body. Partner up with brothers and sisters who are strong where you are weak. My pastor in college was one of the most unorganized men I knew at the time. He's much better today, but for a season, he placed people around him who were skilled in administration.

In short, stop navel gazing to try to decide how you are going to make an impact. Just like with lifting, constantly working out the perfect workout split will do nothing if you never get under the bar and lift the weight.

Pull your hands out of your pockets, serve, exhort, encourage, pray, teach, proclaim, disciple, practice hospitality, and see where God gives the growth!