Understanding Charisms
A charism is a long term ability given by the Holy Spirit which enables a Christian to be a powerful channel of Christ’s love and redeeming presence in the world in a way that is beyond his or her normal human capacity.
Put simply, charisms are gifts:
- given to us by the Holy Spirit
- for other people
- beyond what we are normally humanly capable of
Using a charism is different than using a skill because it is the Holy Spirit doing the work through us, not us on our own. Charisms are always received, not achieved. As a result, they can only be used for good purposes, unlike skills which can be used for evil. The result of using a charism is also always supernatural in nature. Have you ever said the exact right thing to someone and had no clue where it came from? Or accomplished way more in a given time period than should have been possible? You may have been operating out of a charism.
Using our charisms energizes us in a way simply using a skill might fatigue us. Because it is the power of the Holy Spirit moving through us to accomplish a holy goal, we are filled with a joyful satisfaction.
There are 24 known charisms. No one is given every charism, which is why it is essential we each discern which charisms we have and put them to use for the good of each other. Together, we can bring each other closer to Christ.
If you want to learn more, find yourself wondering what charisms you have, or feel like you aren’t using your charisms to their full extent, join us for the Called and Gifted Workshop on Saturday, October 15 and learn how God is calling you to serve others through these gifts.