Overt Humility

S

(Romans 1:11,12) For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you--that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

O

Paul shifted his perspective midsentence--first describing his healthy longing to strengthen these Romans through the Holy Spirit's miraculous gifts. Then, perhaps to correct himself or more likely to include all believers into this abundant availability of God's gifts, Paul then described the benefits they would each enjoy as they walked in faith together. Paul knew that the Holy Spirit gives gifts in many sizes and shapes, and he didn't receive his so he could hoard them; he received them--like everyone else--so they could be shared for the Church's mutual benefit.

A (Personal)

I want to exercise my faith as Paul described. I want to mingle my faith with that of other believers' faith so we might both be strengthened and encouraged. The Lord seems to hold His greatest treasures until we decide to share our spiritual resources with each other. Then they seem to be multiplied miraculously. So how strong is my faith? What gifts am I longing to share with others? How open am I to receive of the gifts the Holy Spirit wants to give me through the faith of others?

A (Psychological)

Elijah, Paul wrestled with depression, as did leaders as strong as Charles Spurgeon. Alexander Maclaren said, "All earnest work has ever travelling with it as its shadow seasons of deep depression." In his book, I Don't Want to Talk about It (pp. 63, 75, 225), Terrence Real identified depression as being either covert (a hidden, defensive process or addiction--an obsessive disorder--that transforms one's state from shame to grandiosity, from less than to better than) or overt, a defensive process that confronts the emotional pain of one's thoughts, which is also the necessary way out of covert depression. What's the connection? Rather than a narcissistic view of "I want to give you a powerful, coveted gift that I have and that you need," Paul advocated a brave new world of honesty, humility, compassion, and faith. The Church, when operating this way, through the gifting of the Holy Spirit, is a community equipped for healing souls.

P

Lord, I didn't realize how deep Your gifts are. Forgive me for neglecting them and for forgetting how generous You are with them. Please increase my faith so might be more significantly share the gifts You've given me, and equally important, please increase my faith so I might receive more significantly of the encouragement available to me through other people. Thank You for grace.