Listening to the Spirit

            Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

            God often brings a friend or another person to mind. I found through experience that means I need to reach out to that friend to make sure they are OK.  I remember when the name of a work friend from years ago kept replaying in my brain.  I didn’t do anything about it and many years later told her about how, out of the blue, I started thinking about her.  She shared that God must have been letting me know she was not OK.  It was around the time she was extremely sick in the hospital and almost died.  I felt terrible that I didn’t reach out or at a minimum, intercede for her.

            Day before yesterday it happened again. The Holy Spirit whispered the name of a friend of mine into my ear, so I did not delay. I texted her and asked her if she wanted to get together for either breakfast or lunch; her choice. I hadn’t seen her in a few months.  She didn’t respond, but the next morning I ran into her as I was starting my walk and she was finishing her run. I realized when we almost collided, God REALLY wanted us to reconnect  and she agreed.

            I found out there was a lot going on in my friend’s life and she needed my counsel, so at breakfast yesterday morning I was a listening ear for my friend and after we talked about her trials, she was also a listening ear for me. It gave me joy to spend time with this precious girlfriend of mine and I am so glad God prompted me to reach out to her.

            Has God ever bring someone to your mind?  What did you do about it?

            It’s important to always listen for the Holy Spirit’s counsel and direction. In the Apostle Paul’s ministry journeys, many times the Spirit would redirect him to a different place than what he had planned because the Spirit saw danger in the road ahead. Romans 8:26 says it is the Spirit who helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us when we don’t know how to pray.  The Spirit sanctifies us and makes us more like Jesus (2 Thessalonians 2:13) as we go forward in our spiritual journey.  Galatians 5:22 says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.  Without the Spirit, life is fruitless!

            So stay in tune with the Holy Spirit in your life.  When you hear that whisper in your ear to pray for or to connect with a friend, act on it, because God sees all and knows all and wants to use you to minister to one of His children.