One of the books I couldn’t put down this year was “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan. I’m sure some of you have also read it. It talks about how we often neglect or downplay the role of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. One of the things I continue to learn about is living life led by the Spirit. This prayer below is from the book, and I hope it speaks to you or at least makes you think, like it has for me.
“Spirit, we know that we have done wrong by You. Please forgive us for grieving, resisting, and quenching You. We have resisted You through sin, through our rebellion, and through our hardness of heart. At times, we have been spiritually blind. At other times, we knew what You wanted us to do, but we chose to ignore Your promptings. Yet this is not how we want to live now. We need You to change us. Only through You can we truly worship. Spirit of the Lord, You are the one who brings us to a a place where we can worship. You are the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of holiness, the Spirit of life. Thank You for the truth, the holiness, and the life You give us.
We need Your wisdom and understanding as we seek to live this life. Keep us from disbelief, from fear. We need your strength to help us do what you are asking us to do and to live how You are asking us to live. Speak loudly and drown out the other voices calling us to conform to the patterns of this world.
You are the Spirit of self-control and love. Give us the self control needed to deny our flesh and follow You. Give us a love strong enough to motivate courageous action. Manifest Yourself through us that we may serve and love Your bride, the church, as You do.
Come, Holy Spirit, come. We don’t know exactly what that means and looks like for each of us yet, in the particular places You’ve called us to inhabit. But nonetheless, whatever it means, we ask for Your presence. Come, Holy Spirit, come.”
