Spiritual gifts are often talked of as if they are essentially abilities. According to such thinking, a person first needs to discover
his gifts before he can start using them. Yet, as is clear from this verse, spiritual gifts are activities rather than abilities. They are concrete acts of service, empowered
(a more literal translation might read activated
) by God the Father (see also 1 Peter 4:10–11).
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.