“Challenges in life can accelerate God’s will for your life, so follow confidently knowing the Lord knows best.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 26, 2021
And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:10-11, NLT
I have a friend who seems to have the energy of two men, but upon further inquiry I have learned that the Holy Spirit working within him is his strength. How? His life is one of daily surrender to the Spirit. He longs for the Lord’s love to empower him to love, he asks God to give him the gift of wisdom to discern what’s best and he humbles himself, so grace becomes first place in his relationships. His spiritual strength seems to infuse his physical strength with explosive energy. Holy Spirit strength is not reserved for the super spiritual but to all who embrace the same power at work within them that raised Christ Jesus from the dead. Sin brings death, but the Spirit life!
The apostle Paul engaged eternal resources which he experienced as boundless energy. Though emotionally torn between knowing the right thing to do, but still doing the wrong thing, he remained steadfast to lean into the love of God to keep him secure in the Spirit’s strength. Physically beaten and left for dead outside a city, he reached deep down into his soul, maybe reflecting on his Lord’s gruesome death on the cross—and stood up and made his way back into the city to share the good news of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The Holy Spirit gives life.
“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I [Jesus] have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63, NLT).
Are you exhausted to the point of giving up? Do you feel beaten down and unheard? Fatigue and faintheartedness do not contribute to the best version of yourself. Slow down and reflect on God’s goodness—His track record of faithfulness to gift you with family and friends who love you. Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen your resolve to do the right thing, even as you feel pulled by pride to do the wrong thing. Human schemes exhaust, but Christ’s words are spirit and life.
As the winds of adversity threaten your security, keep the flag of your faith raised high, and watch with the eyes of your soul which direction the Holy Spirit is blowing. Challenges in life can accelerate God’s will for your life, so follow confidently knowing the Lord knows best. It may be only when you look into the rearview mirror of time that you are able to see what the Spirit was preparing for you. Father is your fortress, Jesus is your friend, and the Spirit is your strength and guide. Keep moving forward by faith, submitted to and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
“You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me” (Psalm 59:9-10, NLT).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, strengthen and lead me by your Spirit, through Christ’s love and, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
What challenge do I face that I need to follow the Spirit’s lead and make a hard decision?
Related Reading
Psalm 18:1; Isaiah 28:6; John 16:13; Acts 9:31
Worship Resource
Crowder: Good God Almighty
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