God gave me a better understanding of my main spiritual gift this week. It is exhortation – which is a mix between having discernment to see what people need to hear and being able to encouragingly tell them. However, I have heard it taught before (and find it very true in my own life), that people with the spiritual gift of exhortation often have the discernment of someone with the gift of prophecy but not the boldness to speak it like those prophets do. So true!
Last weekend, I had talked to a friend of mine, and she had expressed to me deep frustration and discouragement. From the details of what she told me that she was feeling, God showed me what truth she needed to hear. However, God did not give me a good way to express that to her. The only ways I could think of to communicate this truth seemed like it would only discourage her more. I felt like I was not doing what God wanted me to, because He had shown me this truth, but I just couldn’t tell her!! So I simply did what I could to encourage her, and I just began praying for her earnestly and specifically – that God would reveal that truth to her that she so needed to hear.
On Wednesday night, she text messaged me and told me that God had shown her something, and it was verbatim what God had revealed to me the weekend before that I had been praying that He would reveal!
I learned from this that sometimes God may give me discernment into a situation and He doesn’t WANT me to speak it – just to be able to pray more specifically for that person! He will be able to reveal it much better than I could have, but He’s still giving me the gift of being involved in His work by praying! So I won’t feel guilty for not being able to share some things anymore.
My friend was VERY encouraged and excited by what God showed her, and I was just as encouraged and excited by what God showed me through it! God has a cool way of multiplying blessings!
Hey! Pretty funny I just told you TODAY (before I read this…not sure it was even posted yet) that you had made me feel better by always knowing the right thing to say. And even better, how to say it. Much love to you!!!
Hey Rach! It’s me, the discouraged one you blogged about!! It’s so incredible what God can do and express to us in our hearts and minds to encourage people. You are so good at encouragement, or exhortation. I thank God for blessing me with such a wonderful friend as you have been to me! For at least 8 years, you have been at my side through thick and thin!!! And as far as that particular situation, it was a great revelation to me!! Thanks for your prayers. God is so great, and so are you!!