Can You See The Wind?

You cannot see the wind, but evidences of it are obvious. You can see if it is strong, you can see it's force. You can see the direction it is coming from. You can feel it's effects too.

Can you see the Holy Spirit? No, but like the wind, you can see evidence of Him. You can feel Him. I went to a confrence last weekend called "Set Apart". It takes place at Northwestern College in Roseville, Mn. This was my 7th year attending, and it is the 7th year that the Lord has renewed my mind, and refined my heart. This years theme was "Refined". The keynote speakers were Lois Evans, and Sylvia Hurney. Wonderful truth came to us through their life experiences and what God has done. Great teachers and Sylvia is sooo funny!!

The Spirit was very evident there. We have 3 workshops to choose on Friday and 3 on Saturday. As it happens...they all dovetail together and seem to go in order for exactly what the Lord wants to teach me, or root out of my life. In a couple of the workshops, we were given time to write out/practice listening to the Lord. It is so profound to put your pen to the paper and trust the Lord to give you a message. So sweet to hear from God!!

It is God's desire to purify us, to make us more like His Son. To break away the outer man (our old self) and expose the fire of the Spirit within us. The process requires painful breaking, but produces eternal life in us and those the fire touches. As the gold is refined by fire, and the impurities come to the surface, so are our hearts refined and purified. Put under the heat of the flame of God working in our lives, allowing circumstances that are uncomfortable, the "dross" in our hearts rises to the surface and the Refiner can remove them as we yield to Him.

The lesson (fire)I was given was on the Wednesday before, I was on my first day of jury duty. I had no idea if the trial could go to Friday (when I was to be at the confrence), and was fighting anxiety about what to do. I also had asked my daughter to take work off so that she could work for me. My giftshop is open Friday and Saturday and I don't have any employees. The gal I used to be able to call got a full time job so she is unavailable. Well Kayla (my daughter) kept forgetting to ask her boss, and the week before when I checked again to see if she was able to work for me, her boss was out of town until the Thursday before I needed her....In my head I knew I should not be anxious but my heart was NOT in agreement. I kept trying to reprimand it, but to no avail. I gave the Lord the ticket if He wanted someone else to use it, that didn't help either. I still had such an anxious heart. Not until the Judge dismissed another juror for playing the organ that night did I realize I had freedom to say something if I needed to. Instantly my heart calmed down. Then wouldn't you know it??? Kayla did get work off and the Lord showed me mercy and loving-kindness despite my failure not to fear...Amazing grace.

Self-reliance is a battle I fight often, and this weekend I was given alot to help me see the Soveriegnty of God and learn to rest a little bit more. God is Good!! The evidence of His Spirit after the confrence (in my life) was an absence of anxiety in me on Sunday when I had back-to-back engagements (nearly overlapping) and walked in joy and freedom all day. Restin' in the Lord!!