Good morning
So, it's 5:30 ish and everyone is sleeping BUT ME!!! Those exclamations aren't excitement, more like exasperation. It's truly ironic that I have to pull myself out of bed to address the crying baby and by the time they are settled, voila I'm wide awake. I have to say that it's been a blessing to have gotten used to this crazy sleep schedule way before the babies had actually arrived because it's not as hard to get used to now.
I have lots of thoughts running around my head. The first is if we as the church are making a grave error by not teaching on hearing the voice of the holy spirit. I have a friend whose a fairly new christian and is stuck in her pain and unsure how to hear God's voice apart from it being spoken by others into her life. It kinda comes into the category of thinking we're helping for the immediate time but really disempowering in the long run.
I first started thinking about it the last few weeks of our pregnancy when our extended families' anxiousness over the unknown was at a head. Alot of these people are believers and in retrospect I found it interesting and frustrating to look back and realize that the only voice repeatedly telling me that God was in control and it would all work out was mine. What others were doing was sharing their concerns and opinions, which were totally valid, like if we should be travelling with a possible storm warning in effect, if I should live with family the last month of our pregnancy in the city near the hospital, whether we should get induced or have a c-section, what we should do after the babies arrive to "survive". But all these concerns were really based in fear of "what if" and where does the sovereignty of God and my life being totally in his hands come into the equation?
That's where I started thinking about the voice of the Holy spirit. Jesus tells his disciples before his crucifixion that he will be going to the father but that the Holy spirit will be sent. It's a direct connection to God. Do we as a church utilize it enough? Do we live our lives actively seeking out his "opinion" on our problems, fears and decisions? I don't know how to mesh the mind's wisdom and the voice of the spirit, because in my experience they are not always saying the same thing. Like take us moving to Altona for a half time worship job. On a purely logical level it doesn't appear to be a smart decision. We're moving away from family to a community we have little connection with, we're leaving my good job for no guaranteed job, it's only half time, the housing market in Altona was NOT cheaper, it's a huge risk and there are no guarantees. Why did we do it? Because the voice of the spirit was inviting us. It seems as I think back on the gospels that the disciples were continuously doing things that seemed "crazy" and "illogical" like leaving their jobs on the spot to follow a man they had just met. Like selling their posesssions and land to share with their fellowship community for nothing in return. Like being killed for refusing to deny Jesus.
So back to opinions. Why are we so eager to share our "wisdom" when we have no idea what the holy spirit is saying? And when we have no idea what God is really up to for this person's life. If we had listened to all the concerned voices that encouraged us NOT to move to Altona we'd be missing out on all the blessings we're currently enjoying. Like our house, having twins in our old house would have been a nightmare. I LOVE the house we are in and am so glad we didn't have to move when we were pregnant. And then take our church community. Rural living is something else. The town is your community and we've been so embraced by everyone I have never felt more cared for and known. It's really cool too that even though we don't have family living in town, we have people dropping by and calling all the time offering to help us out. It's like a large extended family that live within 5 minutes of you. I can't help but think that in God's master plan he knew about the twins and was getting our ducks in order to prepare us for their arrival well before they were even conceived. Now with a God who cares so much about the details of our lives and is so aware of all the intricate connections of the goings on in our present and future what is there really to worry about?
I fear this is way too simplistic, but maybe God doesn't need to be so complicated.
I have lots of thoughts running around my head. The first is if we as the church are making a grave error by not teaching on hearing the voice of the holy spirit. I have a friend whose a fairly new christian and is stuck in her pain and unsure how to hear God's voice apart from it being spoken by others into her life. It kinda comes into the category of thinking we're helping for the immediate time but really disempowering in the long run.
I first started thinking about it the last few weeks of our pregnancy when our extended families' anxiousness over the unknown was at a head. Alot of these people are believers and in retrospect I found it interesting and frustrating to look back and realize that the only voice repeatedly telling me that God was in control and it would all work out was mine. What others were doing was sharing their concerns and opinions, which were totally valid, like if we should be travelling with a possible storm warning in effect, if I should live with family the last month of our pregnancy in the city near the hospital, whether we should get induced or have a c-section, what we should do after the babies arrive to "survive". But all these concerns were really based in fear of "what if" and where does the sovereignty of God and my life being totally in his hands come into the equation?
That's where I started thinking about the voice of the Holy spirit. Jesus tells his disciples before his crucifixion that he will be going to the father but that the Holy spirit will be sent. It's a direct connection to God. Do we as a church utilize it enough? Do we live our lives actively seeking out his "opinion" on our problems, fears and decisions? I don't know how to mesh the mind's wisdom and the voice of the spirit, because in my experience they are not always saying the same thing. Like take us moving to Altona for a half time worship job. On a purely logical level it doesn't appear to be a smart decision. We're moving away from family to a community we have little connection with, we're leaving my good job for no guaranteed job, it's only half time, the housing market in Altona was NOT cheaper, it's a huge risk and there are no guarantees. Why did we do it? Because the voice of the spirit was inviting us. It seems as I think back on the gospels that the disciples were continuously doing things that seemed "crazy" and "illogical" like leaving their jobs on the spot to follow a man they had just met. Like selling their posesssions and land to share with their fellowship community for nothing in return. Like being killed for refusing to deny Jesus.
So back to opinions. Why are we so eager to share our "wisdom" when we have no idea what the holy spirit is saying? And when we have no idea what God is really up to for this person's life. If we had listened to all the concerned voices that encouraged us NOT to move to Altona we'd be missing out on all the blessings we're currently enjoying. Like our house, having twins in our old house would have been a nightmare. I LOVE the house we are in and am so glad we didn't have to move when we were pregnant. And then take our church community. Rural living is something else. The town is your community and we've been so embraced by everyone I have never felt more cared for and known. It's really cool too that even though we don't have family living in town, we have people dropping by and calling all the time offering to help us out. It's like a large extended family that live within 5 minutes of you. I can't help but think that in God's master plan he knew about the twins and was getting our ducks in order to prepare us for their arrival well before they were even conceived. Now with a God who cares so much about the details of our lives and is so aware of all the intricate connections of the goings on in our present and future what is there really to worry about?
I fear this is way too simplistic, but maybe God doesn't need to be so complicated.
7 Comments:
The exact topic of the role of the Holy Spirit in my spiritual life has been on my mind for the past week. I feel like I've learnt lots in the last few days alone! Your thoughts sound very familiar to me....
Thank you again Rhonda. I ahve been struggling desperately to find my own spiritual identity. I'm trying to shake off the imprint my parents left on me, however, good their intentions may have been. They provided the foundation, now I just have to figure out how to make it my own. I appreciate your simplicity.
Not too simplistic, in my opinion! The Holy Spirit longs to communicate with us lots! You should listen to the tape from Mike Bickle last Sunday Morning at IHOP - it was all about this exact topic!
Great to hear from you! Oh, and the lack of intensity regarding the accident on my blog was on purpose so as not to freak out my nervous family! :)
I would affirm that I also DO NOT think this is simplistic thinking. Listening, or at the very least stopping to consider and really praying for the person you are "concerned" about (often the concern is for self - not the other) would totally change what you have to say. This step is unfortunately too often completely left out or given only the briefest place. The Holy Spirit (or The Spirit of Holiness if you will) has SO much to say - and so much peace to give.
I find generally that one of two things happen. Either people give advice, when really what is more sought is care and love or they treat your circumstances/difficulty with trite spirituality (Oh, it will all work out - kinda crap). The first adds pressure and the later, though in word often true crushes the spirit. The Holy Spirit, again from my experience, does neither - but brings life.
Good topic to bring up. So much about the Holy Spirit we just don't even engage.
We're all cheering for you here!!
Ron
I don't want you to read this in a religious or trite way but
Bless you!
Really, BLESS YOU!!!
Not the fake, yeah-whatever, Sunday morning "bless you" but a REAL...genuine, heart felt....BLESS YOU Rhonda!
I love what you wrote and all I can do to say thanks for your wisdom and honesty, is to bless you.
So be blessed! And consider yourself hugged!
Love you!
I love this post. You are a very insightful woman of God and I think you are truly awesome.
On the other hand, God is so small to a lot of people (including me) so thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. *munch munch*
Almost May 7. Time for another blog? Missing you!!
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