Is Baking a Spiritual Gift?

While baking itself may not be a spiritual gift, the heart behind it—serving, compassion, and love—certainly is. Let’s explore how even the simplest acts can have a deeper spiritual impact.

I enjoy baking. Hold on, I don’t enjoy baking. Okay, I enjoy and don’t enjoy baking. Seems puzzling? Let me explain further: I love the results of baking, so the sacrifice of baking is worth it. When I give it to people who don’t bake, and they feel blessed to receive it, I also receive a blessing. Whether it’s a birthday cheesecake that makes the person who’s alone feel cared for, a family diving into a tub of Christmas treats on Christmas morn, or simply giving homemade cookies to a teacher “just because” - something delightful happens in that exchange of giving and receiving. We enjoy a moment of connection.

Throughout the years, my husband began joining me in the kitchen to help decrease the hours spent cooking or baking. His gift of serving helps me to continue to have uninterrupted writing time. It’s a joint effort. But baking itself is not a spiritual gift. Serving, the gift of compassion, and sometimes even encouragement could be the spiritual gifts extended from baking. Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift, but many don’t know what it is (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11). We are told in Romans 12 that we have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us. They are meant to strengthen and build up the body of Christ. We work jointly, side by side, to help each other. Dr. Larry Gilbert has an online article called “How Many Spiritual Gifts Are There?” He has good information available to those who want to learn more about their spiritual gifts. When reading it, he reminds believers that “God has given everyone in His family at least one spiritual gift and everyone in His family has a responsibility to use their gift.”

When visiting a large church in Illinois, I loved their outreach approach to both their church congregants and the neighbouring community. Someone would use their passion and couple it with their spiritual giftings. There would be someone who loved mechanics and fixed cars; then they’d deliver them to single parents who needed a vehicle. They would encompass their passion with their personal spiritual gifts of serving, compassion and/or mercy. A church that takes the time to care for a stranger’s needs is worth visiting!

I love to write. I've always enjoyed journalling and felt I received answers as I communicated with God in that form. I connected with Him through this passion for writing. Sometimes, I envisioned certain things, wrote them down, mulled and prayed over them, and sometimes, my journalling came up empty. It was both therapeutic and inspirational. Writing, however, is not a spiritual gift, but it can lead me to use my giftings of teaching and exhortation. Still, I get stumped and can stall into neutral. For many different reasons, there are times that I doubt if I am qualified. Those doubts can stand in my way, and I must hurdle that fence before I put my fingers on the computer. We barricade ourselves with limitations. But God doesn't look at our abilities nor check out the degrees on our walls. A heart for Jesus and availability is all that is required to be used for His glory. Availability over ability. He's not focused on our education, bank account, exterior appearance, or the success behind us, so why do we?

If we are part of His family, we are called to know and use our spiritual giftings for Jesus’ Kingdom purpose. We may not know them yet, but the adventure begins by getting outside of ourselves and exploring. It may require us to hurdle that fence of fear.

The “Little Drummer Boy” is one of my favourite Christmas carols. He has no gift to bring but his drum. His music, through his drumming, can lift, encourage and bring hope. What do you have to give Him? Is there a hidden gift that needs exploring? A certain passion that can be coupled with a spiritual gift? Are there fears to be hurdled to get there? In offering Him your spiritual gifts, that will be your gift to bring - Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum! He will use you to touch another’s life; you and the Holy Spirit will discover and use the spiritual gifts within.

1 Corinthians 12:4-5 (NIV), “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”

Brought to you by Debra L. Peters, author of “The Certainty in Uncertain Times.”