“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit”
Galatians 5:25
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that seemed so perfect you wanted to pinch yourself to see if you were dreaming? Your expectations were being met, you had a sense of accomplishment, and others may have been acknowledging you as a contributor to their own happiness. Whatever was happening seemed unreal probably because too often people, including Christians, go about their lives expecting the worst, or at least something less than perfect, to occur. Many enter their world daily, expecting a glitch to derail their plans, relationships or even their moods. So, when something good happens, other activities of the world become white noise drowning out the good we are seeing. For a few moments, they don’t see or hear anything else. Unfortunately, PINCH ME moments are not ongoing occurrences for many, and so when they happen, many struggle to accept them.
Jesus stated that after He ascended to the Father, a counsellor would come alongside believers so that they could live for Him. The helper would enable His followers to understand and interpret God’s word. God’s Holy Spirit is this helper, and He wants to encourage and advise us. We know that He comes bearing gifts for believers so they can function as the body of Christ and be His ambassadors to the world, showing His grace and glorifying Him. This helper also transforms us by harvesting His fruit in our lives; the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Most importantly, this Counsellor has come to pinch us throughout the day. He wants to stir us from the thoughts that our jobs, our families or even our ministries are the final destinations. He pinches us to disrupt our dreams that suggest the world is the place to be. He pinches us so that we open our eyes to see God’s will before us. He wakens us up to His reality, revealing how much of God is around us daily and how we can be part of His service. The Holy Spirit pinches us to wake us so we will look at the path we are on.
Paul reminded the Galatians that since we have been given the Counsellor, we should look to fall in line with Him; we should anticipate and react to His pinches. The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in our lives, and He performs all His miraculous functions as He dwells within us. His presence is not just for a few movements throughout the day because He stays with us forever. He will never leave or forsake us, and if we react, He will continue to pinch. Our challenge is to not only thank God for the precious gift of the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives but to keep in step with the Spirit so that we can recognize His pinches and see God’s glory. Our challenge is to respond to the Holy Spirit.
Pray the Holy Spirit will pinch you often today and that you will be able to recognize it and respond.
PS – pinch is not, in fact, the theological term for the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.