WHISPERS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
You Must Stop, Take A Breath
When time after time
life’s challenges
beat away at you
and you feel
the pressure of the world
instead of the sweetness
of my Holy Spirit,
you must stop,
and take a breath.
Realize without that
breath life would not be.
Yet, in that breath, life is.
Life was given
to you by me
with my protection
and my provision
so that you know
nothing will prevail
against you, and
that in all things
your God works
for the good of those
who love him, and
who have been
called according
to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28)
Dr. Don’s Reflection
One of the most powerful and empowering verses in the Bible for Christians is Romans 8:28. It promises all good will be brought from everything that happens to me. The only condition is I love God and if I am living in accord with his purposes.
That means it matters not if I make a mess of things and it is my fault. God will still bring good from it. That is a huge promise because it does not have the condition the situation I am in not be my fault or my sin for God to intervene on my behalf and bring good from the happening. How amazing is that? Romans 8:28 reads clearly that if I love God and I am living according to his purpose, God will bring good out anything that happens to me, no matter what. End of story.
Now, this does not mean there are no consequences for my actions. But whatever the situation sooner or later God is going to bring good from it. So even when I screw up badly, I ask for forgiveness and live through the consequences looking for the good God will bring to me.
When challenges in my life overwhelm me I take a deep breath and in that breath, I realize God has given me life with his full protection and provision.
Knowing that he will bring good from whatever challenge I am facing in my life gives me the courage to face it and live through it. In understanding this, I can feel the sweetness and power of the Holy Spirit and my worries change to great expectation.
I have learned it is not enough to just have faith. My faith has to be an “expectant faith“. And the expectant faith screams out “God will bring good from all things“ because I love him and try to live according to his purpose for me. The emphasis here is on “try“. There are times I fail and fall miserably, however, God is always looking at the heart of the soul and in doing so is able to look past the frailty of humanity as we seek his will.
Dr. Don’s Comments
Are you sick of the battering challenges of life that seem to depress and defeat you? Are you looking for a sure fire way for good to be brought from all the challenges in your life whether they end up good or bad even if they are your fault? Then ask yourself, do you love God and are you living the way He wants you to live? Are you at least trying to do so? If the answer is yes, then you can be assured by Romans 8:28 that good is going to come your way no matter how battered the challenge in your life may be.
If you do not love God and/or you are not living the life He wants you to live. Then you need to stop, fall to your knees commit yourself to God and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to love God and live according to His will. In doing so your life will belong to Christ and all the His promises of the Bible will be yours.
You do not have to do not have to go it alone. Once you accept the Holy Spirit and simply show the desire to know and love the Lord, the Holy Spirit will be your teacher, counselor, guide, comforter and all you need to walk with Christ and to eternal happiness. Remember, it begins with the “desire“ that is all you need to get started. You show “desire“ and the Holy Spirit will
“inspire“. That is the deal and you will not find another one as good on this earth.