The Holy Spirit has given us seven gifts, yet few of us choose to use them as often as we should. Sometimes it’s due to a lack of knowledge about what the gifts are and other times it’s because we simply forget they are available to us.

The Holy Spirit is not just some ancient, nebulous being.  The Spirit is here to empower, enlighten, and instruct us so that we may live out our faith in the every day world. Take a moment to read through the scenarios we present so that when you are faced with these situations in your own life you will know how to pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be present in your life.

Today we have 7 examples of times that we could call on the Holy Spirit for help in our day-to-day lives.

7 Ways To Use The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit In Daily Life

 1. The Gift of Knowledge

7 gifts of the Holy Spirit

With the gift of knowledge, we come to know the true value of creation in relation to the Creator. This is important for all those times when we are surrounded by beauty,  but we don’t think of anything except ourselves. The challenge is being able to experience marvel, to be able to be surprised by the amazing nature that surrounds us and invites us to step outside of our egotistical world. In doing so, we are able to discover God in His creation, and in it, His everlasting love for man. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of knowledge when you are outdoors!

2. The Gift of Wisdom
Gifts of the Holy Spirit Help Catholic

The gift of wisdom refers to the special capacity of judging human things according to God, under the light of God. Illuminated by this gift, we are able to peer deeper into the realities that surround us. We are able to discover things in ourselves, not just what we would like them to be for us. Thus we no longer judge according to our passing, superficial and egotistical criteria rather according to the criteria that we find in the Gospels. Just imagine how things would be if we could see the world how God sees it! Ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of wisdom when you need direction and advice in your relationships.

3. The Gift of Counsel

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Catholic

The gift of counsel acts as a breath of fresh air in our conscious; it helps us to see and discern what is good, what makes us happy, and what is most convenient for us. We are often confronted with important decisions in our lives and the lives of others. When they happen to ask our help, sometimes we don’t know exactly what to think, what to say, or how to act This is the precise moment when we should open up to the Holy Spirit living within us! With this openness, we will be able to see, give good counsel, and know how to act. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of counsel when a friend or family member is asking you for advice!

4. The Gift of FortitudeGifts of the Holy Spirit Catholic fortitude

Fortitude is what allows us to courageously live out what God wants of us, especially when it comes to dealing with or overcoming life’s difficulties or those moments when we must resist our internal passions and external pressures. I don’t think that anyone can say that they are always strong, that they are always able to resist temptation. One of the realities that is most evident in our human lives is the fact that we are fragile, yet it is there that we find God, and realize just how much we need Him. In these situations, we should never hesitate to ask for God’s help. But do so quickly! And if you fall, let your failures teach you healthy self-distrust and to put your trust more and more in Him. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of fortitude when you’re faced with the temptation to sin.

5. The Gift of Piety

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Catholic piety

Piety heals our hearts of all types of hardness and allows them to be tender in relation to God and to our brothers and sisters. Many times I thought that being pious meant praying like the ladies that I saw praying in church as a young girl. But, in so far as a gift of the Holy Spirit, it implies that we put ourselves in the shoes of another, to feel like he or she does. Here, we must ask, how can I feel what God Himself feels? Well, by trying to love Him! And how can you love Him more? By loving others in the little things: by sharing a word of encouragement, by stepping outside of your comfort zone to help another, by no longer looking to prove that you are always right and the other wrong, etc. This is the path of love through which piety guides us. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of piety when you need to show empathy or serve another.

6. The Gift of Fear of the Lord

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Catholic Fear

Fear of the Lord doesn’t mean being afraid of God because He is some sort of avenger that is looking to punish. It means having a mature spirit that is aware of our guilt and of the weight of our sins. It also means trusting in His Mercy. When we were children, we never wanted our parents to be angry with us. Not so much out of fear, but because we were sad and felt sorry when we let them down or made them suffer. Fear of God implies that in our lives we give what is due to God, that He occupies our hearts as King. It means that no person and no thing is more important than Him. It means that we recognize the weight and significance of our actions, especially those that separate us from Him. A great means of living out this gift is the frequent use of the sacrament of reconciliation when we need it. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of fear of the Lord when you recognize that your relationship with God is not your first priority.

7. The Gift of Understanding

Catholic Gifts of the Holy Spirit

This is a grace that helps us comprehend God’s Word and deepen the truths that He teaches us. How many times do we find ourselves complaining during Mass – the priest doesn’t know how to give a good homily; this Gospel reading is too complicated; this Mass is boring; this music is so bad; or these people around me are really annoying … and then never do anything about it! From my own experience, I can tell you that your faith strengthens the more you understand, the more you deepen in it, and the more time you invest into it. Don’t simply stick with the little bit you learned when you were a child. Continue to grow and “do your homework” by learning more about the Mass so that you’ll understand what is really going on! Ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of understanding when you find Mass or your faith boring.

If we truly want these gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we must ask for them! Take a moment now to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to pour out His gifts upon us and help us to participate in His infinite love every day of our lives!

Prayer To The Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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