Who or what guides your thoughts and deeds? The Holy Spirit, which arrived on Pentecost and now resides in the hearts of baptized believers, enables us to control our thoughts, words, and deeds.

When Joshua faced what seemed like an impassable barrier before him, the floodwaters receded only after he boldly stepped into the rushing current in faithful obedience. God's power flows forth from our faithful, obedient actions. We must be faithful and obedient to unlock God's power. When we obediently move forward in our weakness and do the right things despite our fears and feelings, we unleash the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Friends, we can't sit around and wait for spiritual growth to happen. We must actively nourish our spiritual growth in God's Word daily! Scripture says we are "transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The Greek word for "transformed" is metamorphosis; it's the very same word used to describe the change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly.

That's a beautiful picture of what happens to us spiritually when we obediently allow God's spirit to redirect our thoughts and deeds. We become slowly transformed from the inside out. We become more Christ-like, empowered, and emboldened to soar to new heights.

So, let us not forget the importance of faithful obedience, and let us continue to nurture our faith in God's Word to unlock the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit in our lives!

Onward and Upward! — Fr. Greg