The next few weeks (from now until we observe Pentecost) invite a fresh focus upon the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps I could better phrase this as a season of strengthening or deepening what should be a consistent focus.

My goal is more. I know that doctrinally we do not necessarily receive more or less of the Holy Spirit – the only measure scripture uses with regard to the Spirit is “poured out” and “full of.” But I can grow in my experience, awareness, and expression of the Spirit. I can grow more yielded, more sensitive, more quickly obedient, more consistently and more deeply loving, joyful, and peaceful. I can be more moved with compassion, more quickened with boldness, and more thankful. “More” is more about how I change. More is more about how much more intensely and sweetly and easily His presence and power fills me and flows through my words and actions. I can be full, and yet be-being filled. My goal is more.

My goal is change. Change in me. I want to be different than I am now. I know that faith is the catalyst for real change, meaning that I change when (arguably – only when) how I believe changes. Not necessarily what I believe, but how. As in: how deeply I believe, or how I express and practice what I believe. It is not enough to enjoy an encounter or feel a sensation or appreciate a revelation. Those things must affect how I believe in order for real change to happen.

Revelation and experience must transfer to believing differently. If I have a revelation (or illumination, if that sits better with you, as I don’t mean brand-new information from heaven; I mean fresh color, light, and brilliance on timeless truth, or even perceiving truth formerly obfuscated by my own ignorance) or experience to which I yield not and therefore preclude from becoming a change in my believing, I change not. Instead, I will seek only to return to sentiment. Sentiment will not change me. Faith will. However, faith is very much informed and affected by fresh revelation and enlarged experience.

And so, with a fresh commitment to focus on the Holy Spirit, I also commit to meditation (for revelation), to submission (for experience), to exercise (for expression), and to overflowing gratitude for “more.”

Thanks for reading; I hope to reflect often in writing during these days of focus.

‘Dav