Respond with Boldness

Sometimes it seems as if trials come in seasons and other times it just feels like they are more obvious as you grow older. I am ever thankful for the joy that the Holy Spirit brings even in times of trial. Trials have seemed frequent in my life lately and so yesterday during our worship service I was pondering how I respond to them. It occured to me there are two types.

There are those which are completely out of our control, such as disaster or disease. During those times if you believe in God even just a little, it is almost an involuntary gut reaction to turn to Him with your emotions and needs, to lean and depend on Him, to trust Him when there are few or no other sources of hope.

Then there are trials that are somewhat in our control, such as life changing decisions or responding to the Holy Spirit. It is in these trials that it seems a little more challenging to lean on God because it is a matter of overcoming our own will. We question our judgement. We try to find evidence of God's blessing in other peoples lives who made the same choices. We do just about everything except simply act in faith.

If we choose to lean on God the outcome is the same in either situation - He will carry you and can offer more abundant life than you could imagine. It is my prayer for both you and me that we would seek Christ and allow ourselves to be filled to overflowing by God's Holy Spirit, and that as the Holy Spirit moves in our lives we would respond with boldness! This is the path to intimacy with God and finding the abundance that He desires for each of us!