When you become a Christian, the spirit of God comes to live inside you and gives you a spiritual gift that you did not work for, earn, or create. A spiritual gift is a manifestation of God’s own spirit, making himself known through a variety of gifts and people. It’s not just a natural talent or skill, though it may coincide with some of your natural talents and abilities. It is a supernatural work and ability that God gives you. God gives them to us to help build up the body of Christ and accomplish his purposes in the world. But this doesn’t mean that using your gift will always be easy or fun. On the contrary, whenever you engage in the redemptive process on any level, it can be very messy and difficult work.