How to Stay “In-Step” with the Holy Spirit
When I received my guide dog, Jackson, I was so excited for the freedom and independence he would bring to my life.
And I definitely have not been disappointed!
I feel so much more confident traveling independently with my boy by my side. However, I also knew that having a guide dog would come with its challenges and occasional hardships.
Having a dog is very different from simply walking with a white cane.
For one thing, when you have a dog, you are responsible for a living, breathing animal. This means that, on occasion, they will become sick and need a day or two off of work.
A sick, tired black lab dog laying down on a bed in black and white.
A couple of weeks ago, Jackson woke me up in the middle of the night with a pitiful whimper.
When I took him outside, I found out why…he was sick.
The next day, to my dismay, I had to leave him at home so he could rest and feel better. It was the first time since receiving Jackson that I had to rely on my cane instead of him, and it was so hard!
Not only did it break my heart to leave my furry companion behind, but it made me feel less confident as I traveled without him.
I realized just how efficiently and comfortably I am able to navigate with his eyes as guidance.
Have you ever thought about how differently we walk through life when we are not guided by the Holy Spirit?
Galatians 5:16-17 says,
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
(Galatians 5:16-17, ESV)
A white brick wall with text that says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” -Galatians 5:16-17
“Walking by the flesh” means making decisions, choosing our words and actions, and living out our lives in the opposite direction of God’s will for us.
Instead, we follow other influences, and we all know what kind of damaging influences live in our world and, at times, our own minds.
If we are not walking with the Holy Spirit, we are so much more susceptible to the jealousy, impurity, anger, and division of this world (Galatians 5:19-21, ESV).
When I had to leave my guide dog at home, I noticed my blindness a lot more than I do with him by my side.
Likewise, when we are walking by the flesh, life itself becomes a much more dark, scary, and unsettling place.
Thankfully, because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we have hope.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
(Galatians 2:20, ESV)
When we “walk in the Holy Spirit,” it means that Christ lives in us.
With Jesus and His wonderful attributes in our hearts, He can guide us towards living our lives following the example of how He lived His own.
Christ is the opposite of evil, darkness, and pain.
Thus, with Him as our guide, we have protection from all of the damaging influences that the flesh threatens to lead us towards.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
(Galatians 5:22-24, ESV)
A white brick wall with text that says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” -Galatians 5:22-24
This life can make us stumble and fall at times.
With Jesus, however, we can be picked up, dusted off, and able to walk confidently with the peace, endurance, and hope that only He can instill in us.
How are you staying in step with the Holy Spirit today?
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Tillman Eye Center, which serves Carrollton, GA with a wide range of optometry services in a professional and comfortable environment with staff who care.
Plaza Home Care, a medical supply and equipment company located in downtown Villa Rica, where they are big enough to serve you and small enough to care about you. Plaza Home Care is committed to providing you and your family with quality medical equipment, such as CPAP compression hoses, walkers, lift chairs, and more. The staff are sure to earn your trust as they listen to your needs, follow through on their word, and provide uncompromising levels of customer care.
