Led by the Spirit

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 24, 2018

By Tripp Prince

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  Romans 8:14 (NIV)

At one level, every human being is a child of God, created in his image and filled with the potential of a relationship with him. This is why every single person you meet is worthy of respect and dignity. They are our fellow human beings and members of a race that is beloved by God. However, though we are all created by God, not everyone lives up to the potential of a truly flourishing human life.

According to Paul, the true children of God are those who are led by the Spirit of God. A child begins to recognize its parent’s voice while still in the womb- a remarkable thought! Yet the voice is muffled and an infant child isn’t able to fully comprehend what the parent is saying to it. However, I believe children are able to know and receive love in true and beautiful ways, even before they know how to reciprocate this love.

In a similar way, as children of God we must learn what it means to hear the voice of the Lord and respond with faith and gratitude. In the beginning, we may be a bit like a child in the womb. We receive the love of God even before we know how to respond or comprehend this love. Yet it is real and true and good.

Just as a child doesn’t remain an infant forever, so too must we grow in our faith and learn to move from infancy into spiritual maturity. We never outgrow our identity as children of God, yet we are meant to be mature children who learn what it means to be led by the Spirit. To be led by the Spirit is to have the entirety of your life shaped by the Spirit. The things you love, the places you go, the way you spend your time, all of these are meant to be attuned to the Spirit’s leading and lived in alignment with the Lord’s will.

To live a Spirit shaped life requires intentional and active listening. We must learn to cultivate a habit of stillness and silence in prayer before the Lord. It is easy to rush out ahead of God, thinking we know where he wants us to go or who he wants us to be. And yet, if we can quiet our hearts and lives, we will find he is faithful to lead us, at times even in surprising and remarkable ways.

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him‘” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT).

Prayer

Application

Related Reading

Post/Tweet today

Worship Resource