Listen:
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)
Reflect:
Shortly after my second baby was born this spring, my 2 year old discovered just how much free will he actually has. Suddenly, my sweet boy bucked even the simplest directive; every little thing became a battle. It was as if I found myself in front of a rugged, daunting mountain, with no clue how to forge a path forward. One particularly frustrating morning of parenting, I cried out, “This is not working! He needs what I don’t have!”
Which was true, but I didn’t realize the answer lay within my question until I voiced it to Him. In the frenzy of postpartum survival mode, I needed to stop and listen for the still, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. Being tired may be part of the season I’m in, but God never asks us to operate from emptiness.
This past month, as I’ve pondered over this verse, some new rhythms have developed. Stopping when things feel out of control to breathe deeply and invite the Holy Spirit into the moment keeps a guardrail around my heart, mind, and mouth. Choosing worship music over a podcast (or even silence) helps keep my thoughts on the goodness of God through the day. Being grounded in the joyful truth that I too am a forgiven sinner helps me extend grace and mercy more easily, to my kids and to others.
With my own heart full of praise and thankfulness, the pressure to come up with a new path forward is off of my shoulders; it never belonged there anyway. The Holy Spirit is with me in my mess, and He’s with you in yours.
Prayer of Response:
Holy Spirit, would the fullness and richness of your presence dwell within me today, saturating my every thought, word, and action. Amen.
Questions to Ponder:
- In what areas of your life are you relying upon your own wisdom that you need to surrender and ask the Holy Spirit to fill?
- How can you create more opportunities to praise God in your day-to-day?
—Submitted by Holli Tubbs
Holli is a stay-at-home mom, who lives with her husband James and their two kids in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
[Mountain photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash]
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