Today as I worked in the yard I heard nearby the gentle cooing of doves. I hear them often, but some days I notice them and other days I don't at all. I was reminded that it is so easy to drown out the gentle whispers of the Holy Spirit. He doesn't shout at us, but speaks in His still, quiet, voice much like the dove. What He has to say is so important to our well-being. His words bring peace, joy, and life. Jesus' own words describing the arrival of the "Counselor" gives us a big clue as to His importance.
"It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." Jn. 16:7
Can you feel the excitement of Heaven over the arrival of the Holy Spirit? Jesus is the Father's gift of love, but so is the Holy Spirit. He is called the "Gift of the Holy Spirit" and for good reason!
On June 8 it will be one year since my Mother passed away. Last Sunday was Mother's Day, and it was such an odd feeling to not be shopping for gifts and picking out the perfect card to express how much she meant to me.
I've had lots of time to reflect on my relationship with her and gratefulness has surfaced time and time again as a life well lived has left it's mark on me.
Through my involvement with Sozo, an inner healing ministry, I have learned that mothers play such an important role in the lives of their children as they nurture, comfort, and teach them. If those roles sound vaguely familiar, its because they are also part of the job description of the Holy Spirit. Our relationship with our mother can help or hinder our relationship with the Holy Spirit as we tend to view the Holy Spirit through the grid of how we have experienced being nurtured, comforted, or taught by our mother.
A few months after my mother's death I was feeling a little down in the dumps and found myself wishing I could just pick up the phone and call her. I realized right then that my Mother had been my personal "cheerleader". I could always count on her to encourage and uplift me, and I knew she was always on my side even if I didn't deserve it. In whatever difficult situation I found myself, she was consistently there cheering me on with wisdom and grace. As I was in the midst of this thought, I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me and say, "I want to be that for you".
I know I had been comforted by the Holy Spirit many times in the past, but somehow I had missed seeing Him in this way. For the next hour I poured out my heart to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to comfort and encourage me in a way that I had not known before. I was drawn into a new place of intimacy with Him as I saw and experienced Him as my "cheerleader".
We often think of a counselor as someone you make an appointment to see and the visits are rare. Not so with this Counselor! He is forever with and in us. With life giving words He is forever cheering us on to walk in the fulness of our Kingdom identity and destiny. What an awesome and amazing gift He is!
Holy Spirit, I receive the gift you are for me. Thank you that you speak with wisdom into my life and keep my feet from stumbling. Thank you that you love me unconditionally and call out the best in me. Thank you that you comfort me and quiet me with your love. Thank you that you empower me and place your passion within me. You are truly amazing.
