10/10 Would Recommend

A few days ago I was scrolling through Facebook and I saw that a page I follow had posted the Fruit of the Spirit Song.  (If you have not heard this song, I highly recommend it.  I can guarantee that you will have it stuck in your head for days.  On the plus side, you will never again forget the fruits of the Spirit!)  This got me thinking about the Holy Spirit.  Making the sign of the cross, we invoke the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  However, I think a lot of us tend to forget about the Holy Spirit.  Who is He and how does He work?  My understanding of the Holy Spirit is definitely lacking and I always find that I cannot explain or grasp who He is.  Nonetheless, I know I have experienced the Holy Spirit in both powerful ways and in ways that are quieter and gentler on a regular basis.

One thing I have noticed is that the more open you are to the Holy Spirit in your life, the easier it will be to recognize when and how He is working in your life.  There have been times where I’ve felt like I have been lit on fire.  In these moments, I have felt excitement, courage, peace, inspiration, encouragement, and the list goes on.  While I don’t want to reduce God to a feeling, there are definitely experiences where the feelings are so overwhelming that words fall short when trying to describe these experiences.  These are moments when I can confidently say, “that was the Holy Spirit.”  

One experience with the Holy Spirit that stands out to me happened towards the beginning of this year.  At the beginning of January, I was asked to give a talk at a retreat.  After agreeing to it, it was decided I would present it 2 ½ weeks later at the team meeting to practice it and get feedback.  Naturally, I sat down the afternoon before the meeting to write the whole 30ish minute talk.  I managed to hammer it out within a few hours.  That was the Holy Spirit at work.  After the meeting was over, I had just about a month to polish it up and practice, practice, practice until the retreat.  Of course, what did I not do? Practice.  The day of the meeting, I had gone home, made a few edits, and put it to the side, all the way until the first night of the retreat.  Oops.  Little did I know, the Holy Spirit would be there to lead me and guide me, ultimately saving the day!  The time for me to give my talk was approaching.  There was a room of people who prayed over me.  Just being prayed over is the Holy Spirit at work.  (10/10 would recommend the experience.)  I felt calm and ready but still fairly nervous.  Once I left the room, they stayed and prayed for me throughout my whole talk.  It could not have gone any better, especially considering that I hadn’t gone over it even once to practice since the meeting.  During the talk, I was filled with overwhelming senses of peace and confidence.  (Prayer WORKS!  Stay tuned for a blog on the power of prayer!) After my talk, I left the room and felt like I was floating on clouds.  It was unlike anything I had ever experienced.  That was the Holy Spirit!  I returned to the prayer chapel room, where the group  once again prayed with me and for me.

​The Holy Spirit wants to work in your life.  Whether it’s in large, profound ways that you can feel, or in small, ordinary ways, He wants to be part of it.  Maybe you don’t think the Holy Spirit is working in your life.  I’d challenge you to take a closer look.  Open yourself up a bit.  Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life and pray to receive Him in a deeper way.  The more open you are to the Holy Spirit, the easier it will be to recognize Him working in your life, as well as in the lives of those around you.  The Holy Spirit can change hearts and lives, filling us with a greater desire to know and love God.  Spend time today and everyday reflecting on the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life and ask Him to fill your heart.

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