Power

Me: What are you looking at Prodigal?

Prodigal: Looking to see how much electricity I used this month.

Me: There is great power in energy.

Prodigal: Yes, I would have to agree. What is on your mind?

I looked outside as I sat on my couch. I was able to finish work early, so that left some extra time this evening. That lead me to being on the couch looking outside my window. It was a day of non stop rain on a summer day. My favorite type of rainy day. Those rainy days cool the heat of the summer and bring new growth to the plant life around.

There is something about the rain that makes me slow down. It makes me pause. That is where my soul seemed to be rushing toward as I watched the individual marks of water, slide down the window pane and my ears were comforted by the sound of steady droplets being released on the earth. As the stillness engulfed me, God’s greatness presented itself. I could not help but be reminded “Who am I, that God should save me?” “Who am I, that God should allow me to participate in bringing Glory to His Name on Earth”? Then my thoughts slowly followed that trail of past memories of past events that involved a different time.

It was a time of my pride. My pride was a garment that was worn around me as tightly as a jacket that is worn on a day that is too cold. My pride was seen by all and guided me. As my pride grew, it buried and blocked the spirit’s quiet nudging that would send me in another direction toward Jesus. God allowed the pride to be worn for a season.

Then God wanted another direction for my life and it was then I my life began to look like an atom. An atom that was small but when smashed had power on the inside. God now completely in control of my life as an atom, decided that He had to devise a way to “smash” the atom. The only way to reach the power available in the atom was for it too be crushed and then it’s immeasurable and limitless power could be attained.

My life was covered in pride which is found in the nature of the flesh. My flesh had to be crushed in order for me to expose the limitless power of the Holy Spirit. God has the power for the Holy Spirit to overcome the flesh without it first being exposed but at times, God allows our flesh to be crushed first. He wants our flesh to be crushed to reveal the power and glory of the Holy Spirit. He allows us to feel the emptiness, the aloneness, the void of a life when the flesh of pride is taken away. It is then God moves in with filling the void with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is no longer crushed and grows greater to fill the void of what pride had left behind. It is then we can start really understanding the limitless power of God and how when He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit then really nothing is impossible with God.

So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:7

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org