Maneuvers - No. 18
Sensing
Holy Spirit
Are you in tune with Holy Spirit, friend?
Maybe you feel close to him sometimes but not always. That’s very normal in the fast-paced, me-first culture we live in. With all the chaos buzzing around us, it can be hard sometimes to hear Holy Spirit’s soft, wise voice.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t hear it throughout the day. Our relationship with Holy Spirit isn’t confined to the rules and laws of this physical world. We don’t have to go to a specific location or wear certain garments or consume specific foods to hear him. That’s how things operated in the Old Covenant—and it’s how much of the world still views a relationship with God.
That’s not for us and it’s not for you. Not anymore. We don’t have to go anywhere to hear Holy Spirit because he’s already within us. There is nothing that can separate us or stop us from sensing his subtle nudges and aligning with his will.
So why don’t we hear from him all the time? The truth, dear friend, is that we’re still learning to listen.
It’s a process, learning to approach each moment with wonder and expectation, even the mundane, ordinary moments. With God, no moment is truly ordinary. Each second with him is an opportunity to go deeper.
If that’s the kind of life you crave, friend, then today we invite you to lean in and learn with us as Holy Spirit speaks.
01.
The Message
“The days roll in and out like waves, one after another. How much different does one feel from the next? Can you imagine approaching this day, this moment, as a miracle? For it is full of possibilities. It is filled with hope. It doesn’t have to feel different from another day to be miraculous. For it is in the moment that feels like any other that I can develop in you a keen sensitivity to me.
“It is time to wake up now—to look around you with expectation. You live in a world limited by time and space—physical limits—for that is what you understand. But I am beyond—and without—limits. Begin to have conversations with me about the good I see, about how to see your days from my perspective. For when you adopt my way of seeing, your moments feel like miracles. Nothing is ordinary. Nothing is expected. All is possibility and hope.
“Consider one of your problems—something that perplexes you and causes you concern. Is it a person? A relationship? Is it a mistake you wish you never made? Is it a feeling of inadequacy? Disappointment? Finances? Physical and/or emotional pain?
“Don’t struggle with this problem on your own, trying to find solutions in a world of boundaries and rules, constraints and doubts. My wisdom comes from the perspective of anything being possible. My love makes all things possible. My love is the ultimate hope because, in the most pressing of trials, I am not constrained by science or rationality, by finance or politics. My ways are not your ways, and you can adopt the mindset of my ways as your own.
“Look for what I give you. Notice how I am close. Keep your ear to my chest, your hand in mine, and know that I father you and never leave you, prompting you to act and trust, surrender and believe. Expect more from this day—again, not in the way the world sees. See with eyes of love. This love is wisdom. This love is action. This love is miracle. This love is hope.”
02.
Listen
Let’s pause for a moment right here. Breathe deeply, one, two, even three times. Simply rest in God’s presence. This is a holy moment.
Now, search your heart for a response to today’s message. What words are spilling out? What emotions are bubbling up? Let’s write these down in our journal today.
03.
Think
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27, ESV).
1. What makes it hard to tune into Holy Spirit’s voice during the day-to-day? What distractions—internal and external—steal your focus?
2. What problems do you tend to struggle with on your own? What issues do you forget to bring to God or feel aren’t important enough to bring to him? Let’s list them one by one in our journal.
3. What is Holy Spirit saying to you about those problems you just listed? What words of comfort or wisdom is he speaking to you? What solutions is he revealing to you? Don’t be afraid to take some time and wait on him.
04.
Trust
You miss your bus. You overhear your spouse raise their voice at the kids. Your co-worker begins sharing a juicy bit of gossip that makes you uncomfortable.
We all face situations similar to this every day. Problems that are real and concerning—but are they important enough to bring to God? Too often we doubt that they are, and we simply deal with them ourselves.
And these problems don’t have to be external. What lies, doubts, fears, and insecurities pound in your mind? What messages gnaw at your faith, leaving you scared to step into what God has for you? Sometimes the internal problems hurt us even more than the external ones.
Think back to what Holy Spirit said in this week’s message: “Begin to have conversations with me about the good I see, about how to see your days from my perspective. For when you adopt my way of seeing, your moments feel like miracles. Nothing is ordinary. Nothing is expected. All is possibility and hope.”
Do you long for that kind of life every day? It is possible.
The key, then, is inviting him into those moments, no matter how dull, embarrassing, or hurtful they are. He wants to join us there and speak life to our hearts.
Right now, let’s pull out our journals again and finish the following sentences:
“I feel closest to God when…”
“I know God is speaking to me when…”
Did your take on these sentences surprise you? Sometimes we just need a fresh, gentle reminder of God’s presence. Let’s lean into that holy presence right now in prayer…
05.
Pray
Father, thank you for always being close to me, for inviting me into deep, unbroken communion with you. Teach me how to hear your voice, even on the busiest of days, even when my mind is racing with a million questions and fears. You are bigger. Show me how much bigger you truly are.
I know you’ve never abandoned me, no matter the struggles I’ve gone through. Even when the situation I’m facing is too painful or too confusing, you always have an answer… and sometimes that answer is simply, “Wait. I’m right here.”
Teach me to recognize your presence, to put my ear to your chest and be content to simply listen. You are enough for me, Father. You are always enough. I love you, I love you, I love you.
Amen.
Waving the banner with you,
