Prayer and Spiritual Gifts

I was reading an article* by Alice Smith this morning and she had some wonderful thoughts on how our spiritual gifts may affect our prayer lives.  While I don't know anything about her ministry at large, her words were an encouragement to me.  Here is an excerpt:

"Concerning the spiritual gifts listed in Romans 12, a person who shows mercy would likely pray more passionately than an administrator, who'd pray in a more structured, organized way.  A giver might pray for funds for missions; while a teacher prays the Word.  Those mentioned in Ephesians 4 will pray differently as well.  A pastor will pray fervently for his people; an evangelist will tend to pray for lost souls."  - pg. 83

What a marvelous thought that I have never considered. But it makes wonderful sense to me - our gifts would affect our prayer life.  That said, should we be content with simply our little piece of the Spirit, or could we possibly learn from others to pray in more ways  than what comes naturally from our specific gifting?  Paul says, "eagerly desire spiritual gifts" in 1Cor 14:1.  From this and in line with Smith's thoughts, we should pray as we are gifted and then desire, eagerly desire that our gift base grows and expands and hence our prayer life grows and expands as well.  For this will cast us more upon the power of God in ministry and life and will allow us more ways of seeing his glory at work in the world.

Recently I have been praying for God to expand my faith, to break down my unbelief and distrust.  I desire to be able to wholly trust God and his promises, to pray in faith for the miraculous provisions of God, whether they be financial (supplying the resources for 100 children to be adopted at Hope in Christ) or physical (to see God heal the sick and testify to his power over illnesses of all kinds) or spiritual (seeing my neighbors come to Christ).  You see, I am a teacher and I can pray the Word, I am a giver and I can pray for missions and funding for it, but I want to see the gift of faith grown in me, I want to see the gift of evangelism blossom in me, I want to see the gift of pastoring flourish in me so that in all things God can receive glory and I will be cast upon his feet.

*The article comes from Giving ourselves to prayer, Dan Crawford, compiler.