I've been reading this book by Francis Chan called, "Forgotten God" and it's all about the Holy Spirit. He writes about the third person of the trinity because far too often He is overlooked and forgotten about, or thought of in such vague or unorthodox terms that no one can truly relate or commune with the Holy Spirit. At one point in the book Chan poses the question, "Do you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit?" Ever have those moments when you're reading and you just feel like someone jabbed a knife into your heart because it speaks so directly to the core of who you are? That was what that sentence, that one simple sentence, did to me. I had to put the book down and have a serious examination of my life. I thought about it, and I knew I had a relationship with the Father, and with the Son, but the Holy Spirit? I realized that I was neglecting building relationship with the third person of the Trinity, the One that Christ said He would send to be the Counselor, the Guide. This realization washed over me, and I could not walk away from it, the rest of the day the thought of trying to be in relationship with the Spirit consumed my thoughts, consumed my heart, consumed by very being.
Throughout the course of this week, I've been actively seeking and inviting the Holy Spirit into my life, into being in relationship with me. I've been seeking Him out and it's been fantastic and terrifying all at once. Chan poses another question in the book, "Why do you want the power of the Holy Spirit?" That question too hit me like a ton of bricks, it shattered me, and made me question my motives. Eventually I dove into prayer with the Holy Spirit and some things that I came to realize were that I had been seeking Him only for myself, only for my own gain, my own sanctification, not for the betterment of those around me. He challenged me, called me out, forced me to see my flaws in seeking Him, and it was the most beautiful thing.
When we enter into relationship with the Holy Spirit, it's not meant to be a one-way street. It's not supposed to be just a, "Okay, I want this, and this, and this, and this, and this and if you could throw that in over there that would be great." One of the points that Chan makes in his book is that some people are actually afraid to invite the Holy Spirit into their lives, because He might ask for us to do something uncomfortable, out of the ordinary and ultimately painful. The point is though the Holy Spirit is always wanting to make us more like Christ, and the most perfect way to become like Christ is to partake in His cross, to enter whole-heartedly into His passion and death. Of course it's going to hurt. Of course it's going to be uncomfortable. Think about it though: would you have it any other way? There's this beauty, this uncontrollable peace that comes from saying unreservedly to the Holy Spirit, "This is me, take it, do whatever You so desire." He'll lead us to those places of discomfort, but, through that discomfort and pain is redemption. I went to mass this morning and as I was kneeling in the pew, all I could think of was this song by Mute Math:
Just thinking about that one line sends shivers down my spine: "There's no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air." Think about it in these terms: there is no reason we should breathe unless the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives. What a call-out. Christians are fond of the cliché, "Lose this life to find it." How many of us actually do that? How many of us surrender up all that we are unreservedly to the direction of the Holy Spirit? How many of us have genuinely given up "control" to Him? What would happen to the church if all of us really gave up totally to the will of God? What if we actively and passionately sought out the Holy Spirit every day? Maybe you're at a spot where you're terrified of what the Holy Spirit will ask, maybe you're okay with it but feel like He just isn't giving you any direction, maybe you just don't care. All I can say is this: no matter where you're at or how you view the Holy Spirit and His will for you, seek it unreservedly and you will not be disappointed. Such a beautiful surrender.
Throughout the course of this week, I've been actively seeking and inviting the Holy Spirit into my life, into being in relationship with me. I've been seeking Him out and it's been fantastic and terrifying all at once. Chan poses another question in the book, "Why do you want the power of the Holy Spirit?" That question too hit me like a ton of bricks, it shattered me, and made me question my motives. Eventually I dove into prayer with the Holy Spirit and some things that I came to realize were that I had been seeking Him only for myself, only for my own gain, my own sanctification, not for the betterment of those around me. He challenged me, called me out, forced me to see my flaws in seeking Him, and it was the most beautiful thing.
When we enter into relationship with the Holy Spirit, it's not meant to be a one-way street. It's not supposed to be just a, "Okay, I want this, and this, and this, and this, and this and if you could throw that in over there that would be great." One of the points that Chan makes in his book is that some people are actually afraid to invite the Holy Spirit into their lives, because He might ask for us to do something uncomfortable, out of the ordinary and ultimately painful. The point is though the Holy Spirit is always wanting to make us more like Christ, and the most perfect way to become like Christ is to partake in His cross, to enter whole-heartedly into His passion and death. Of course it's going to hurt. Of course it's going to be uncomfortable. Think about it though: would you have it any other way? There's this beauty, this uncontrollable peace that comes from saying unreservedly to the Holy Spirit, "This is me, take it, do whatever You so desire." He'll lead us to those places of discomfort, but, through that discomfort and pain is redemption. I went to mass this morning and as I was kneeling in the pew, all I could think of was this song by Mute Math:
Just thinking about that one line sends shivers down my spine: "There's no reason I should breathe unless you're in the air." Think about it in these terms: there is no reason we should breathe unless the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives. What a call-out. Christians are fond of the cliché, "Lose this life to find it." How many of us actually do that? How many of us surrender up all that we are unreservedly to the direction of the Holy Spirit? How many of us have genuinely given up "control" to Him? What would happen to the church if all of us really gave up totally to the will of God? What if we actively and passionately sought out the Holy Spirit every day? Maybe you're at a spot where you're terrified of what the Holy Spirit will ask, maybe you're okay with it but feel like He just isn't giving you any direction, maybe you just don't care. All I can say is this: no matter where you're at or how you view the Holy Spirit and His will for you, seek it unreservedly and you will not be disappointed. Such a beautiful surrender.
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