Recently I wrote about how we often feel weird when the secular and the spiritual are mixed together (see: When Two Songs Collide). The feedback I got on that post reminded me this is something we probably need to talk much more about. Without a robust view of how to infuse our “spiritual” self with the world around us we tend to confine Jesus to a physical church space. While that environment is often a catalyst for people in their faith, it should never become a container to limit our awareness of God’s presence. Jesus is all around us and we should live out our faith accordingly.

In the book of Exodus, Moses receives detailed instructions from God for building the Tabernacle. We find that God specifically gives talent to a group of workers needed to pull it off. Here’s how the text says it:

• “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.” 31:3
• “Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make.” 31:6

How often do we think of God giving someone wisdom? Probably fairly regularly as we have examples like this from the book of James, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (1:5).

But here’s where it gets interesting.

How often do we think of God giving someone ability? Depends on the ability perhaps. Ability to preach or lead? Sure. But what about other abilities… like designing a website or telling stories or making art?

How often do we think of God giving someone expertise? Rarely. Just imagine someone saying this phrase and you’ll see why: “I’m an expert ______________ (job title) because God gave me the expertise.” Now specifically imagine someone claiming to be an expert “in all kinds of crafts.” We’d laugh as we threw their Pinterest-infused business card in the trash.

Or how often do we think of God giving someone special skill to make stuff that other people can’t make? Can you imagine reading the bio in a person’s Etsy store about how they learned from God how to make their one-of-a-kind items?

We find precedent for all of these examples in just the two verses from Exodus 31 I quoted above (and elsewhere in Scripture). Evidently, being given the Spirit of God is often for a particular function. Which should pump us up today.

If your life is given to Jesus you have received the Holy Spirit in return. Now you need to figure out what God has given you that Holy Spirit for. What should the Holy Spirit lead to in your life?

Maybe it’s in a role we often associate with the Spirit such as preaching, teaching, prayer, encouragement, leadership, etc.

Or perhaps it’s in a role we often don’t associate with the Spirit. In that case, until you free yourself to fully allow the Spirit to dwell inside you (in Her own unique way) you’ll never fully be the person God longs for you to be.

Has God filled you with the Spirit to be an entrepreneur, or a realtor, or a barber, or a school teacher, or a nurse, or a specialist in your field?

I don’t fully know what the Spirit wants to do in my own life—let alone yours—but what an adventure it will be to keep searching out that answer for the rest of my life.

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