Scripture 1 Corinthians. 12:4-13

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body —Jews or Greeks, slaves or free —and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.      

Imaging

I imagine myself in the place where my deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.        

The grace I seek

I pray for the gift of knowing and accepting my truest and deepest self, the unrepeatable uniqueness God has given me in “calling me by name”, so that I might fully and creatively live out God’s call to me in my life.

Points for private prayer

1. Ponder your birthright gift of self. These questions might help:
   1. What did I dream of becoming when I was a child?
   1. What fascinated me?
   1. What were my hobbies and interests?
   1. Have I wandered from my birthright gifts? Did others disabuse me of them?
   1. What clues to my selfhood and vocation — though the clues may be hard to decode and interpret — were laid down in my youth?
   1. What clues might there be in my childhood to the unique, God-given meaning of my life?

Writing

Spend some time at the end of the prayer making some notes on your prayer. These questions might help.

What fills you with “deep gladness”?

• At home:
• At work:
• In creative projects:
• With other people:
• By yourself:

How do these things overlap with the deep needs of the world?

How could you give yourself more of that feeling of gladness?

What could you change in your existing roles and projects, or what new roles and projects could you pursue?

Is there anything you would need to let go of in order to find that gladness?