DO YOU HAVE A CONNECTION AND COMMITMENT TO THE HOLY SPIRIT? IF NOT THIS BLOG WILL HELP YOU LIVE IN, FOR, BY AND WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT SO YOU CAN HAVE A VITAL LINK TO JESUS CHRIST.
Yes, Lord, I feel like a minor league player on the playfield of spirituality. I feel I am in a game which requires far more playing skills than I have. I thank you for sending me the Holy Spirit to be my coach. The Holy Spirit never gives up on me. He is always teaching me the skills for seeking you. There are times I feel like hiding in the dugout but the Holy Spirit continually puts me in the game and shows me how to be a player in knowing and loving you. Lord, why do I strike out so many times, Sure I get base hits sometimes but that is not good enough for me. I want to hit home runs for you. No, I will not quit. With the help of the Holy Spirit I will be an All-Star for you.
Dr. Don’s Reflection
The Holy Spirit gave me words to speak back to God in a baseball game metaphor. I know the Holy Spirit does not mean to call our effort to know and love God a game. However, the Holy Spirit will always speak to me or give me words to speak to God that will have a fulfilled meaning, And the Holy Spirit has hit how I feel right on the head.
Spiritual development is not easy. To continually seek God in what you think, say and do takes a major effort. I feel like my efforts are minor in comparison to what I know is needed. So at times I just want to stop trying. Just let me sit in the dugout, I think, for I will never be a major league player for God.
But I in my heart it is not possible for me to hide or quit regardless, of how unprepared I feel I am for the call. How do you quit God? There is no other game in town except to know, love and serve God so even if my efforts are minor or worse even if I strike out; I do so in pursuit of God and his loving grace. Hiding in the dugout of life is not an option for me. I still have to get up to bat.
There are times I feel like I need to sit on the bench and often the Holy Spirit with his coaching ability allows it. But sooner or later the Holy Spirit calls me to be in the game, and I have to say, “OK” coach I am in.” And I am in even if I just get base hits for I know even though I am not happy with my performance the Lord is. As long as I have the ability to step in the batter’s box, I am in the game. I will let my coach the Holy Spirit guide my performance.
Dr. Don’s Comments
Do you feel as inadequate as I do some times when it comes to being in relationship with God and in his service? Your answer is probably, yes or at least I hope it is. Here is the reality. Will you ever feel sufficiently worthy and capable of being in God’s love, grace or in his service? Once you feel you have what it takes to serve the call of God, that is when you are in real trouble.
If you look at all the great people in the Bible called by God. I do not know of one that answered the call of God with the notion that they were either qualified or prepared to do so. Moses begged the Lord to choose someone else to lead the Jews out of Egypt for Mosses was a stutterer and did not feel close to being up to God’s call. Rehab was a prostitute living in Jericho. David was an adulterer and murderer. Matthew was a tax collector and most hated by the Jews, the very people Jesus sent him to convert. The Bible is full of examples of people called by God who were eminently unqualified to be in his service, let alone his presence. But you must realize that God prepares those he calls for what he calls them to do as outlined in 2 Corinthians 3-5
“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”
This is what I have found out in my walk with the Lord, that aside from loving God, feeling unqualified to answer his call is the single most factor that qualifies you for the job. If you can remember this, then you will feel much more comfortable being in the service of the Lord.
Understanding Habakkuk 3:19 will give you what you need to feel more confident that God will provide you with all you need to get the job done. Doing God’s will is not about you; it is about God.
“The Sovereign Lord gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer and keeps me safe in the mountain.
There is one final thing you must realize and that is feeling inadequate to serve the Lord is also a tool used by Satan. He will reaffirm your feelings of inadequacy and not being prepared to serve God. He will remind you of all the times you failed and could not get the job done so why should you think you can get the job done for God. Satan will always be the great accuser for that is just one of his many tricks to break our relationship with God. Remember the important thing is to stay in the game and to step in the batter’s box. You may get a hit, a home run or, yes, for some reason, you may strike out but the fact is you are still in the game and playing on God’s team.
