‘God is a generous and good father, and his gifts are the best thing to ask for this Christmas.’

It’s Christmastime again. Lights are being strung, trees baubbled, familiar reverent tunes comfort from the radio. And then, there’s the gifts. My kids have begun hinting at their Christmas wish-lists. My teenager, for one, has created an online registry, something like for wedding gifts! I’m too nervous to look yet. As Christians, celebrating the greatest gift the world’s ever received and paying it forward with the same heart of lovingkindness God had, is the heart of the season.

But God is so beautiful, bountiful, and benevolent, he didn’t just stop there. The baby Jesus grew into Calvary’s sacrificial servant, rose on the third day and shortly after, into heaven. From there, he poured out his Spirit, along with spiritual gifts to comfort, encourage and strengthen us here on earth as we await his return.

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One particular gift, though talked about numerous times in scripture, is often swept embarrassingly under the rug in certain church circles.

One particular gift, though talked about numerous times in scripture, is often swept embarrassingly under the rug in certain church circles. Like at Christmas, we want the gifts we’d like, not necessarily the good ones that are good for us. I’m talking the gift of tongues, if you haven’t already guessed. I was recently blessed to be with two dear friends, as the elder prayed for the younger to receive the gift of tongues. I can only describe it as a Book of Acts experience.

Weeks earlier, this friend had expressed she earnestly desired the gift of tongues. Not long after, when I was in the company of my older friend, she mentioned off hand God had given her a spiritual gift. “Every person I pray for to receive the gift of tongues, receives it”! 

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So I brought the two together! We fellowshipped, sang songs to the Lord, talked, laughed, and prayed, and when the time came, my seasoned friend asked the other to open the Word of God and read clearly and meaningfully some passages about the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues. In no time, we were laying hands on our sister, ourselves praying in tongues as she prayed out loud and praised the Lord in English.

As my tongues began to flow more rapidly, I was overcome by the feeling of the Lord Jesus pouring from heaven this desired gift for my friend’s encouragement and strength, demonstrating she was his dearly beloved daughter. My eyes moistened as my friend burst into tears, and out flowed the gorgeous sound of praise, adoration and love for our wonderful Savior. I’m sure that’s what it was, though now it came out as an unknown language.

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I didn’t mention my friend who received the gift has been experiencing one of the most difficult kinds of life upheaval imaginable. For her, 2025 has been a spiritually and emotionally testing, strenuous year. Each time I see her since Holy Spirit poured out this gift, she exclaims she prays in tongues regularly and feels so strengthened and thankful to Jesus. This is just one example of the blessing of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A gift can’t be forced upon you, you must be willing to receive it. None of us has to look very far to find people who are struggling and needful all around us. Even in the church, especially during Christmas. While the gauze of perfected idealism tempts us from our phones and computer screens, many become more aware of the absences, disappointments, and losses during what’s sold to us as the most wonderful time of the year.

While the world more increasingly runs to supernatural experiences, with its emphasis on the New Age and witchcraft, God offers the believer a better type of spiritual experience. Gifts like healing, words of knowledge, discernment and Paul’s highly lauded gift of prophecy, are given to Gods church so we can help each other (1 Cor 12:7-11). This passage closes with Paul’s explanation that, “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”(11) Christmas, the giving season, is the perfect time to seek God about spiritual gifts. Why not ask what gift he could use through you; to bless, encourage and strengthen others, for our good and his glory. Merry Christmas.