The Key To Personal Revival Part Four

Have we forgotten the encouragement of Colossians 2:6&7?

Have we testified that we are rooted in Christ but neglected being built up in Him and established in the faith?

We are continually built up in Him by remaining receptive to His grace. When we receive we realize how it is of Him and not us. How can we discern we are receiving as we ought?

The common response to receiving is, “thank you.” This simple response reveals the level of humility a person walks in. It is not demonstrated when someone refuses to look you in the eye, or speaks in a timid monotone voice. Humility is most rightly expressed through thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the recognition that I have received something from someone other than myself. I did not do this on my own and therefore it is right to say thank you to the one responsible for making it happen.

While my father and mother were alive it would have been most inappropriate for them to thank me for being their son. I did not choose them they chose me when they decided to bear a child together. Instead the appropriate response would be for me to thank them for giving me life in the first place.

You know you have been embracing a wrong gospel when it fails to produce in you a genuine gratitude for God that results in giving thanks to Him for His great mercy and generosity.

What kind of thanksgiving am I referring to?

Athletes who receive honors will out of courtesy say thank you. But it does not mean they have this same spirit of thanksgiving at work in them. They may feel that they earned the trophy or award by their hard work and amazing talent. Their “Thank You” is appropriate to say, but in such a case it is said based on their appreciation that someone noticed their achievement. This civility is accepted as an appropriate response in such situations. But it is not the thanksgiving spoken of here in Colossians.

A humble act of thanksgiving recognizes the contributions made by others realizing that without them one would not have achieved anything at all. An example of this would be reflected if that same athlete were say, “I want to give thanks to God who gifted me with certain abilities that have enable me to achieve great things in this sport, I wish to thank my trainer and coach who have helped me focus so I might improve at what I do, I wish to thank my Father and Mother who gave me life and sacrificed to make it possible for me to engage in this sport investing their time and resources into making my dream a reality, and I wish to thank the fans whose encouragement helps me strive to do better.”

Humility has always been a difficult practice to embrace in the church when people embrace wrong doctrine regarding the gospel. Paul had to ask the Corinthians, “what do you have that you did not receive from another?”

Humble people recognize the contributions of others and thank them for what they mean to them this is why without humility at work in us we are unable to experience genuine community and fellowship as the body of Christ. We miss out!