“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit”

A few weeks ago, I read a great piece by Seth Godin on the importance of staying open-minded as we grow older.  I’ve thought much  since I read this and reflected on my own views and the experiences I have had with those who I know who have grown cynical or closed their minds beyond where I would have expected them to be so. In business we too often run into those who will tell us that the idea has been tried before, or we used to do it that way, or we know that just won’t work.  Those people are dangerous to an organization because they are the ones that with a few words can stifle innovation and new ideas.  We need to listen carefully for those sentences because when we do hear them, we need to quickly understand where they are coming from and how we will ensure that they are not impeding the new from occurring.

And so it is with our spiritual journey.  God did not create us to stand still and not grow.  The Holy Spirit wants to move within us and speak into our decisions and efforts.  The gift and the blessing resides in the assurance that God wants the Holy Spirit to be able to bring us closer to our walk with Jesus than we ever could go on our own.  So, it’s important that we remain open and never stifling of what God wants to do with us.  And here is what I think we can be pretty sure; when we are growing and developing there will be moments of discomfort and the unknown.  It might be the new co-worker, the new boss, the new job, the new location, the new customer, the new program, etc.  But, whatever it is, He wants to move there with us.  Let’s allow Him to do so.

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (New Living Translation)