I stood outside the church, pacing the sidewalk, wondering how I got here and how I was possibly going to get through the evening. I could feel my chest tightening and neck becoming flushed. What was I doing here? I wasn’t qualified for this. I wasn’t who they came to hear. My story was so ordinary – not dramatic or emotional like the other women speaking this weekend. Yet, here I was, microphone clipped in place and first up on the evening’s agenda to speak before 75 conference attendees.
As I leaned against the church wall for support, I whispered an invitation: “Come, Holy Spirit! Come and give me the words to say and the boldness to say them!”
How did I get to this place? Well, it started with a similar prayer almost a year earlier. “Come, Holy Spirit! Guide me where you want me to go.”
It was a bold prayer, a crazy plea. I was still learning to believe in prayer, but I wasn’t content where I was in my life. I wanted my life to have more meaning and impact. So, I started to pray for God to show me the way.
As I began to pray for guidance, I began to prepare my heart to hear an answer. I wanted to experience God’s call and what it would be like to just say “yes” to whatever I heard. I wanted to know how Abraham was so able to just say “yes” to God’s call to move his family to an unknown destination; to follow wherever God would lead him. What made him say “yes” so quickly, so readily, without thinking it over and arguing pros and cons? I wanted faith like that!
The best part? When I opened my heart and invited the Holy Spirit in to lead me, He came! Not immediately, but when I was ready; when He was ready.
I knew I was to be the opening speaker at this conference because the Holy Spirit had shown it to me months earlier. I knew there must be something in my story He wanted someone attending to hear. I knew He had orchestrated this whole event, so I needed to keep saying “yes” and complete the mission.
God has filled us all with His Holy Spirit. We don’t have to call or invite the Holy Spirit in order to have Him in us, but I’ve found when I do prepare my heart to hear Him and invite Him into my life, I am more connected and can more easily hear His counsel.
Opening my heart to the Holy Spirit opens the door to a life transformed.
“Come, Holy Spirit!”
Come and quiet my soul to hear you.
Come and soften my heart to accept your words.
Come and guide my steps.
Come and equip me to do your work.
Come and help me trust where you are taking me.
Come and make my life new.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~Romans 15:13
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit? Has He broken through, even when you weren’t open? Have you actively invited him to work in your life? Please share and let’s learn more about the Holy Spirit together!
This post is part of a 4 week series about the Holy Spirit. Click HERE for other posts in this series.
This series will look at topics such as:
– Inviting the Holy Spirit to begin working within us
– How to listen for the Holy Spirit
– What it means to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit
– How obedience is linked to trust
– How the Holy Spirit equips us, even when we don’t feel qualified
– What impact we can have in the world when we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit
If you like this series, consider subscribing. Enter your email in the subscribe box at the bottom of the page and I'll send notifications of new posts directly to your inbox. Forward this to a friend who would like to learn more about the Holy Spirit.
Linking with #TellHisStory, Thought Provoking Thursday, Whitespace Thursday, Weekend Brew
Take a Chance – Invite the Holy Spirit Into Your Life [Holy Spirit series] – Prayer & Possibilities
I stood outside the church, pacing the sidewalk, wondering how I got here and how I was possibly going to get through the evening. I could feel my chest tightening and neck becoming flushed. What was I doing here? I wasn’t qualified for this. I wasn’t who they came to hear. My story was so ordinary – not dramatic or emotional like the other women speaking this weekend. Yet, here I was, microphone clipped in place and first up on the evening’s agenda to speak before 75 conference attendees.
As I leaned against the church wall for support, I whispered an invitation: “Come, Holy Spirit! Come and give me the words to say and the boldness to say them!”
How did I get to this place? Well, it started with a similar prayer almost a year earlier. “Come, Holy Spirit! Guide me where you want me to go.”
It was a bold prayer, a crazy plea. I was still learning to believe in prayer, but I wasn’t content where I was in my life. I wanted my life to have more meaning and impact. So, I started to pray for God to show me the way.
As I began to pray for guidance, I began to prepare my heart to hear an answer. I wanted to experience God’s call and what it would be like to just say “yes” to whatever I heard. I wanted to know how Abraham was so able to just say “yes” to God’s call to move his family to an unknown destination; to follow wherever God would lead him. What made him say “yes” so quickly, so readily, without thinking it over and arguing pros and cons? I wanted faith like that!
The best part? When I opened my heart and invited the Holy Spirit in to lead me, He came! Not immediately, but when I was ready; when He was ready.
I knew I was to be the opening speaker at this conference because the Holy Spirit had shown it to me months earlier. I knew there must be something in my story He wanted someone attending to hear. I knew He had orchestrated this whole event, so I needed to keep saying “yes” and complete the mission.
God has filled us all with His Holy Spirit. We don’t have to call or invite the Holy Spirit in order to have Him in us, but I’ve found when I do prepare my heart to hear Him and invite Him into my life, I am more connected and can more easily hear His counsel.
Opening my heart to the Holy Spirit opens the door to a life transformed.
“Come, Holy Spirit!”
Come and quiet my soul to hear you.
Come and soften my heart to accept your words.
Come and guide my steps.
Come and equip me to do your work.
Come and help me trust where you are taking me.
Come and make my life new.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~Romans 15:13
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit? Has He broken through, even when you weren’t open? Have you actively invited him to work in your life? Please share and let’s learn more about the Holy Spirit together!
This post is part of a 4 week series about the Holy Spirit. Click HERE for other posts in this series.
This series will look at topics such as:
– Inviting the Holy Spirit to begin working within us
– How to listen for the Holy Spirit
– What it means to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit
– How obedience is linked to trust
– How the Holy Spirit equips us, even when we don’t feel qualified
– What impact we can have in the world when we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit
Linking with #TellHisStory, Thought Provoking Thursday, Whitespace Thursday, Weekend Brew