Is the Holy Spirit Impotent?

     As a believer and follower of Yeshua the Messiah, I have been given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as has every true believer, but I have never spoken in tongues, fell down laughing or trembling, or healed someone with the touch of my hand. Why not? I hear His voice, feel His tugging at my conscience, and His overwhelming comfort during times of trouble and pain. I'm supposed to receive gifts from the Holy Spirit? Has He forgotten me or does He no longer have the power to work miracles and express Himself through the lives of believers? That would make Him impotent? This can't be!

    In 1 Corinthians 12 the apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian believers concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Chapter 13 he describes the more excellent way. 1Corinthian 13 is the love chapter. Paul explains that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to each and every believer such as tongues,interpretation of tongues, prophecy, healing, miracles and discernment. These are by no means the only gifts, only a sampling. From what I read, and what the Holy Spirit reveals to my understanding is that all these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit as He wills. Along with these gifts come a calling or responsibility to which the gifts are suited. The Power of these gifts is in the Body of Messiah, the Church. We are all members of His body, as a body, are individual gifts fulfill the will of the Father, through the direction of the Holy Spirit in the name of Yeshua. But, these gifts are impotent--without love. They are merely self serving displays of tricks and wonders that make no real impact upon people or the world, maybe an individual or two through the faith of the recipient and the grace of God.
     Paul encourages believers, that includes me, to desire the greater gifts of prophecy, healing, tongues, but appreciate the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness and self-control. Always be active in love to share these gifts, but even more importantly to share the message of the Gospel which is the reason we have been saved, that we have been born into new life, are a part of the Kingdom of God and have received these gifts. If I feel that I am weak, it is because I am. If I act alone, I am impotent, not the Spirit. When I am a part of the body, when I am acting as a part of the whole, doing the tasks that have been assigned to me, then I see miracles, whether as a witness or the vessel used to make the miracle. My faith and love adds to the power of the whole body. The faith and love of my brothers and sisters in the faith add to me.
   To wrap up my pondering, I conclude that the apparent impotence of the Holy Spirit is the result of the society in which I live. We are detached from one another. We work at computers, in cubicles, at desks facing away from our fellow man. We communicate via internet or text on a phone. We play computer games that allow us to interact with others without ever meeting them face to face. We spend hours in front of the television, but only a few hours a week assembled together at Church--and usually we are reading the bible on our electronic devices, listening to the pastor, or studying the scriptures, but we don't spend enough time hugging each other, listening to each other, praying with our hands touching one another. We have lost our love. How can we truly love, or show our love, if we aren't physically, mentally and emotionally involved with each other, involved in life? To see the fruits of the Spirit, to find and express my gifts, I must be a part of the family. I must seek this involvement. I'm not saying these devices are bad, that we can't reach out through them and keep in touch through them, but this is not enough. And spending time with the Church does not mean inside the building. It means spending time with my family, my friends, and also my Lord--where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.