Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit. 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. (1Corinthians 12:1-7)

There are various gifts - charisma - but the same Spirit. What is your core competence? What can you do especially well? What do you find inherently pleasurable to do?

There are various services - diakonia - but the same Lord. What is needed? What deficiencies are being experienced by others? How can your gifts be fruitfully shared?

There various activities - energema - but the same God. What outcome can you imagine? What outcome does God intend? How might charisma and diakonia lead to this outcome?

It is a practical formula: your core competence focused on the unfulfilled needs of others generates valuable outcomes. But Paul assures us these are matters of the Spirit.

He also emphasizes that the purpose is the common good - sumphero - where we share in life's burdens and move forward together.