Every Piece Matters: Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts

Picture two teams with identical piles of LEGO bricks. Same pieces. Same colors. But one team has the box with the picture and the instructions, while the other just has… bricks. The first team builds with confidence. The second? Chaos. Same potential, different outcome—because one had the design in front of them.

That’s exactly what Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 12. The church in Corinth had all the “pieces”—people, passion, and spiritual gifts—but they were building without God’s design. The result? Confusion, comparison, and division.

God’s Word shows us the picture on the box: the church is one body with many parts, each uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit “for the common good” (v. 7). That means every believer has a role, every role has a purpose, and no one is unnecessary. The gifts are diverse, but the mission is one—to point people to Jesus and build up His body.

Here’s the problem: many Christians don’t know what their gifts are, or they don’t know where to use them. That’s like having a rare, irreplaceable LEGO piece sitting in the box while the rest of the set stays unfinished.

That’s where a tool like a spiritual gifts survey can help. This simple questionnaire isn’t perfect—it won’t replace prayer, Scripture, or wise counsel—but it can help you identify how God has wired you to serve. You might discover gifts of teaching, encouragement, leadership, mercy, hospitality, giving, or administration.

Once you’ve identified your gifts, the next step is deployment. Ask:

Where in my church can this gift meet a need? If you have the gift of mercy, maybe it’s in visitation or counseling. If you’re wired for administration, maybe it’s in organizing outreach or managing ministry details.

Who can I encourage or train? Gifts aren’t for hoarding; they’re for multiplying.
How can my gift point others to Jesus? Every gift, public or hidden, is meant to make much of Christ—not us.

Remember—unseen service is just as valuable as public ministry. In God’s design, the nursery volunteer, the prayer warrior, and the tech booth operator are just as indispensable as the preacher.

So here’s the challenge: take the survey this week, pray over the results, and then step into a role where your gift can serve the body. Don’t wait for the “perfect” opportunity—start now. Because the body of Christ is only complete when every piece is in place… including yours.