The Power and the Pitfall

I’ve known for a while now that one of my spiritual gifts is encouragement—more specifically, exhortation and words of wisdom.

But that’s not the only one I walk in. I’ve seen God move through me in leadership and discernment, too.

Here’s what I’ve come to believe:

You’re not limited to one gift.

The Holy Spirit gives according to what’s needed—and while some gifts show up consistently, others rise in specific moments.

You may usually lead, but in a crisis, God may give you wisdom or faith or prophecy. You may often discern, but in a moment of ministry, the Spirit may stir up healing or mercy or tongues.

Spiritual gifts aren’t personality traits or job titles.

They’re manifestations of the Spirit—meant to flow through us as we stay surrendered to Him.

But here’s the part I haven’t always been brave enough to say out loud:

My mouth has been both a miracle and a mess.

Even after I surrendered my life to Christ.

Even after I started using my gift to uplift, to counsel, to pray, to speak life over others—

I still wrestled with a mouth that could cut deep when I was hurt, frustrated, or just flat-out tired of trying.

There were times I regretted my words before the last syllable left my lips.

And other times? I didn’t regret them at all—because I wanted to hurt someone back.

That’s not easy to admit.

Especially when people see you as “the encouraging one” or “the wise one.”

But this is the part of the story more of us need to tell:

Being gifted doesn’t mean being flawless.

There have been moments I spoke words that shifted the entire atmosphere—when I knew it wasn’t me.

I picked up on the tiniest flicker in someone’s tone, and the Spirit whispered:

They need encouragement there. They’re not okay, even though they’re smiling.

I’ve spoken wisdom I didn’t even know I had.

I’ve walked away from conversations thinking, What did I even just say? Where did that come from?

It came from God.

It came from the Holy Spirit.

Because this gift may work through me—but it is not from me.

And the enemy knows it.

That’s why he’s fought me so hard in this area of my life—

Because he knows that if I ever fully walk in the anointing that comes with this gift, hell’s plans get disrupted.

He knows that if I keep using my mouth to speak life, truth, and freedom, it’s going to shift things.

So instead, he baits me back—

Back into sarcasm.

Back into control.

Back into defensiveness and pain.

Because the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21).

And the enemy doesn’t mind if you’re gifted.

He just wants you to misuse the gift.

And it’s not just me.

Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about—because you’re walking in more than one gift, too.

Maybe you encourage others with wisdom and lead with vision.

Maybe you discern truth in chaos and love people with deep compassion.

But even these beautiful, God-given gifts can get twisted when they’re not surrendered.

– Discernment turns into suspicion.

– Leadership into control.

– Mercy into enabling.

– Prophetic insight into harsh pride.

– Serving into burnout.

– Teaching into superiority.

The gifts are still there.

But they stop bearing fruit when they’re disconnected from the Spirit.

Still…

Romans 11:29 says, “The gifts and call of God are irrevocable.”

He doesn’t take them back.

But He does want us to grow in how we use them.

Because your gift was never about spotlight.

It’s about surrender.

Not about what you can do—

But about what the Spirit wants to do through you.

1 Corinthians 12:7 says,

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

That means:

Your gift is not for performance. It’s for people.

Not for applause—but for purpose.

Not for ego—but for edification.

So I’m still learning.

Still checking myself.

Still repenting when something flies out of my mouth that never should’ve been said.

But I’m not disqualified.

And neither are you.

Your gift doesn’t lose value because it has a messy history.

Your mouth isn’t beyond redemption.

Your insight isn’t void because you’ve missed the mark.

Your heart still matters, even if you’re weary.

It just needs to be surrendered.

Refined.

Guided.

Because a gift without the Spirit is just a skill.

But a gift surrendered to Him?

That’s power.

That’s purpose.

That’s healing, breakthrough, and transformation.