“We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives LIFE.”
2 Cor 3: 4-6
As holidays are approaching, God has been trying to teach me about rest and the life He has for us. He wants me to understand the abundance of life He has for us to live. He has been challenging me with these questions, and I want to challenge you to deeply think about them.
What do you think God means by “The Spirit gives life”? What does that life look like?
One thing I’m not very good at is resting. It’s wonderful, but somehow it is difficult to actually do. Responsibilities pop up, keeping up with family, friends, and supporters back home need to be planned, checking off to-do lists, or just the desire to relax with friends come about, …I could fill each day with many things. But that’s exactly what God has been showing me. Rest and life with Him.
Rest is vital. It keeps our bodies going, it keeps our lives live-able, it keeps our hearts steady. I have seen how not resting affects not only our bodies, but our hearts, our spirits, our minds. Just a few months ago, God healed me from chronic fatigue, restoring much of my body. And I thought, great, now I can keep serving! But God wanted me to rest with Him. He’s showing me how rest affects every area of our life. I’ve been wondering why I feel burnt out, and God is showing me that there is no such thing as burn out when I’m living life WITH Him.
“The old covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives Life.”
God knows our needs, he knows when we need to rest, when we need to work, when we need to play. Life with God does not get burnt out, does not wear down, but instead GIVES life. How wonderful is that! It has made me question what my life should truly look like if I’m living by the Spirit. What does the life God has for us look like? He’s a God of abundance, quality, love, peace, freedom, rest, joy, and infinitely more. So that’s what our lives should look like. Our lives should reflect the glory of God, the beauty of God, and in every way.
I want to live in step with the Spirit. To let God guide each moment, each day, each decision. He is teaching me, and I am learning. He is patient when I am stubborn. So my holidays start this week, and I’ll be continuing to process these questions and asking God how to truly live by the Spirit, to truly live life with my Best friend, my Heavenly Father, my First Love.
Would love to hear your thoughts on what Spirit-given Life looks like! I’m praying that as you read this, God gives you fresh revelation of his love and life for you.
Blessings,
Grace
Furthering Grace 