Last week I wrote about spiritual reality: that we have already been given "every spiritual blessing in Christ," and that we can learn to live in those blessings every day, by perceiving and focusing on that reality. In this pattern of life, when God speaks to us, we actually hear his will for us and are ready to respond.
The Triune God said "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us" (Gen. 1:26), and we were created as relational people, so God could have a mutual relationship of love with us. We are, at the core, spiritual beings (1 Thess. 5:23) so having a spiritual connection with God should be a natural part of life. The Holy Spirit, who is our guide and helper (John 14:16-17) has come to help us perceive and live within that.
Some think that, if they "get more of the Holy Spirit" then they will achieve mastery over life, sort of like a Jedi in Star Wars. But that's emphasizing our self-will, when in fact, it is God who gives us both the idea of pleasing him and the strength to follow, Phil. 2:13. Our life with God is a matter of becoming quiet before God and surrendering our will to his; placing ourselves before God, deliberately, day by day, through practical, useable tools of spiritual development.
The Triune God said "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us" (Gen. 1:26), and we were created as relational people, so God could have a mutual relationship of love with us. We are, at the core, spiritual beings (1 Thess. 5:23) so having a spiritual connection with God should be a natural part of life. The Holy Spirit, who is our guide and helper (John 14:16-17) has come to help us perceive and live within that.
Some think that, if they "get more of the Holy Spirit" then they will achieve mastery over life, sort of like a Jedi in Star Wars. But that's emphasizing our self-will, when in fact, it is God who gives us both the idea of pleasing him and the strength to follow, Phil. 2:13. Our life with God is a matter of becoming quiet before God and surrendering our will to his; placing ourselves before God, deliberately, day by day, through practical, useable tools of spiritual development.
These tools are not mysterious matters that can only be practiced by monks in a cave somewhere in France. They are exercises any of us can do, nearly anytime or anywhere, to experience a deeper Christian life: "And this is the secret: Christ lives in you" (Col. 1:27). Human life gets chaotic and broken because we neglect this spiritual journey we are on with Jesus. Wholeness, the repair of our thinking and our emotions, can only take place as we surrender our self-will in the only truly safe place there is: the arms and heart of the Father, as we are brought there, in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit's guidance.
We're going to continue exploring, slowly and one little piece at a time, what that spiritual journey is like. This is not something any of us achieves in a short time, dear reader, so as we journey together with Jesus, let's allow him to lead us one step at a a time, being patient with the process and with ourselves. I believe we will both find spiritual riches as we go.
We're going to continue exploring, slowly and one little piece at a time, what that spiritual journey is like. This is not something any of us achieves in a short time, dear reader, so as we journey together with Jesus, let's allow him to lead us one step at a a time, being patient with the process and with ourselves. I believe we will both find spiritual riches as we go.
There is so much here to take in that is really, really freeing and full of hope! Taking one step at at time and in the reality of Christ living in me, and taking each step with me, is something that makes this challenging life seem possible.
ReplyDeleteMy need .... His strength. A different reality than thinking I have to do it on my own! We HAVE every blessing in Christ...and we can also be patient with ourselves as God helps us learn to know the reality of that more and more. CJ