I am reading through the book of Acts. I’ve read these stories before but piecemeal and with infant eyes. God is maturing me, and I am beginning to see His story much deeper, more loving and so much bigger than my own little world. It is humbling and also quite admonishing. He has so loved me and sacrificially provided for me, yet it is so easy to focus inward - concerned about cancer, schedules, my bank account, my creature comforts. He is teaching me to think outside of my “here and now” and increase my eternal perspective. “He has also set eternity in the human heart.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
Paul was passionate, strong and powerful. God trapped this soul and showed Paul “how much he must suffer for my (the Lord’s) name.” Act 9:16 I am sure that Paul’s suffering deepened his faith and love for God and the Body of Christ. Also pervasive throughout the book of Acts is the supernatural power and direction provided to the disciples by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wasn’t just helping them, He was leading them - opening and closing doors as they faithfully navigated their journey, rescuing them. This powerful history of our early church is such a clear example of the way God intends for me to serve Him in the Body of Christ today! Like Ananias, when God says go talk to someone, I need to drop what I’m doing and go. The disciples were bold in sharing the gospel; I need to be bold too. And, He has also given me supernatural power, comfort and leadership in the Holy Spirit.
As I share in my husbands suffering through this cancer battle, the Holy Spirit is teaching me to submit more and seek only God’s will. A recent devotional summed this up best for me:
“It is in…suffering that the Holy Spirit works many miraculous things deep within our soul. In this condition, our entire being lies perfectly still under the hand of God; every power and ability of the mind, will, and heart are at last submissive; a quietness of eternity settles into the entire soul; and finally, the mouth becomes quiet, having only a few words to say…At this point the person stops imagining castles in the sky, and pursuing foolish ideas, and his reasoning becomes calm and relaxed, with all choices removed, because the only choice has now become the purpose of God.”
The Holy Spirit is also opening my eyes to see more fully the role I must play in the Body of Christ. Paul and the other apostles laid the foundation for us in the past but now “God’s plan is that through the faithful ministry of every part, the whole body will grow to full maturity in Christ.” (Paul David Tripp)
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22
I am part of His temple and He has given me the Holy Spirit not only to comfort me in times of trouble but also to equip me to supernaturally minister within the Body of Christ. I will do this more!
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10 Thanks God for this promise!
