So I was reading today in 2 Cor. 9 where it talks about generosity. I don't suppose it would be too far a stretch to say that the generosity of which Paul speaks could refer also to spiritual gifts. According to my understanding, shaped by 1 Cor. 12-14, our gifts are not there to benefit us. Rather they are there to give us something to express our love through, that God may be glorified through the edification of the church. And let us not forget that these gifts are given individually for specific reasons by the one who has the lives of us all laid out before Him. Now we get to our passage in 2 Cor. 9. "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times ,you may abound in every good work" (v. 8). In other words, in order to complete His good work, God, who has every moment and every area of our lives laid out before Him at all times, has given us all everything we need to do what He wants us to do. There is not a time in our life when we are deprived of any source needed to use our gifts as God would have us use them, for His purposes. Verse 11 states, "You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God." "In every way" is an interesting statement. What is included in that? Is it only physical enrichment for physical generosity? money, housing, stuff, physical labor, etc? Or would that include those areas that are inside ourselves? To the bible communicator, would God deprive you of those things necessary to appropriately address a situation? Isn't such a conversation or sermon a tool He provides to bring Himself glory through the edification of the church and teh evangelization of the lost? Would He deprive Himself of glory? So doesn't it make sense that He would provide the understanding and the means of communication that are necessary to do so? Will He not work in the listener that they might understand also? So why do we worry? Shouldn't we rather seek the mind and heart of the One who knows what He is doing? He has promised to provide what is necessary for us to bring Him glory. So, where we seem to lack, we don't really lack, cuz God doesn't, for some reason, mean to glorify Himself in that area, but rather another. He gives us gifts. Why is the provision for the physical always pounded, while not giving thought to the spiritual? He provides the means to glorify Himself within us more, cuz without the inside, how will we be what we should be outside? To the communicator, God promises to give what is necessary to communicate effectively. Will we neglect His provision by not acknowledging it? It's His work. Don't think it's your own. Otherwise, you provide for yourself from your empty storehouse, and ignore God's abundance.