“Ought“ and “should“ are not the vocabulary of the Holy Spirit but rather the vernacular of shame.
His terminology is Jesus, or truth (revealed reality) bathed in grace regarding the Lordship of Jesus Christ, who we are and the world we live in.
Tuesday, I had only two appointments for prayer. The rest of the day was open, except for a doctor’s appointment later that afternoon.
I sensed in my spirit to go to Lakewood Memorial Park and replace the water in the vase for the flowers put on Sue’s gravesite.
As I backed out of the garage, I thought, ”wait a minute, I’m gonna be going to Modesto later on. I’ll just drop by after my appointment.” I began to reason I could save gas and time.
But then, I realized I would be disobedient to what I believed the Holy Spirit wanted me to do.
As I drove towards Lakewood, I was profoundly impacted by the realization I was attempting to use human logic and reason over the direction of the Holy Spirit.
I confessed the sin of attempting to “out-reason“ God. There was an immediate relief physically and an experience of joy.
When I got to the park, all the flowers were already dead. I knew then what I was to do, trash the flowers, dump the water and go home.
I drove home in the wonder of this encounter: the gentle, loving insistence and patience of the Spirit to direct my life.
And as I sit here writing you, it is impossible to express my gratitude to the Lord - which for me is to be lived out in obedience.