Applying Your Spiritual Gifts to Education

Blessings will abound as you use your unique spiritual gifts in your education

BY: Rebecca Workman

A tool Heavenly Father has provided to help you reach your educational goals are the gifts of the Spirit.¹ Because He loves you and knows that learning and pursuing an education can be difficult, He will help you as you try. 

Studying the scriptures can help us understand what spiritual gifts are and how to obtain them.

In his BYU-Pathway Worldwide devotional address in June 2019, Elder Kim B. Clark of the Seventy explained, “If you are true and faithful to your covenants, you will be given gifts by the Spirit of God: wisdom, knowledge, faith, discernment.” 

Now is a great time to start learning what your spiritual gifts are so you can use them on your educational journey!² So how can we be true and faithful to our covenants and discover our unique gifts?

Seek the Spirit always

Having the Spirit with you at all times invites help from heaven! When you strive daily to be worthy of the Spirit, you can have the blessing and comfort of God’s strength on your side. His guidance, gifts, and power will help you as you turn to Him in faith during your times of need.

The Spirit can help you to remember what you learn.³ He can comfort you when you’re stressed and give you increased strength and peace during difficult times. Having the Holy Ghost is a wonderful gift, encompassing all of the gifts you may need as the Lord sees fit. 

Pray for guidance

Pray to know how to strengthen and develop your gifts.

If you’re not sure how to cultivate and use the gifts you’ve been given, consider praying for inspiration about what you can do. You might pray to know how to strengthen and develop your gifts or pray for opportunities to use them to serve others. 

When you show that you are willing to do what the Lord needs you to do, He will bless you for your obedience and sacrifice. Try to recognize and appreciate His hand in everything.

Be creative in your service to others

When you know some of your strengths and gifts, use them in creative ways. Spiritual gifts are given to every person to help them serve others and further God’s work. By pursuing your education, you are developing gifts and opening more opportunities to serve others.

Gloria Cornelio, the first international student to receive a bachelor’s degree through BYU-Pathway Worldwide, said, “[BYU-Pathway] helps you to develop many skills that maybe you don’t recognize that you have as children of God. It helps you to …realize who you are and your potential.” 

Seek for more gifts

With the Lord’s help, you can develop more spiritual gifts.

Maybe there is a spiritual gift that you lack but would really like to have. If you don’t have that gift right now, it doesn’t mean you can never have it or develop it!

Moroni 10:17 says, “And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.” 

You have unique and individual gifts, even ones you have yet to acquire, that will help the Lord shape your life and serve others! As we live true and faithful to our covenants, God provides each of us with spiritual gifts to help us along our educational journey.

What are some ways you’ve used your spiritual gifts to help you in your education? Share below!

1. ^∧ “Spiritual Gifts,” Gospel Topics

2. ^ Check out this article about discovering your personal spiritual gifts

3. ^∧ John 14:26