Hello! I’ve returned from my conference, and I’m thrilled to report that I loved speaking for the college students in Indianapolis. What a wonderful time to experience the energy and fun of 1700 people all gathered to learn about Jesus, worship Jesus, and surrender to Jesus.
As I start the new year and a fresh read of the Bible, I think about two things:
The Holy Spirit helps us experience true delight. It seems like savoring is now “trending.” Everyone seems to suddenly talk about how to savor life and truly delight in it. I’m beginning to think I can’t manufacture it or work for it. After all these years of living with flair, I think I’ve been scratching the surface of what a savoring life really means. For example, I noted Tara Leigh Cobble’s words in her Bible Recap podcast on Genesis 1-3 today that the Holy Spirit was present at creation and “giving approval” to everything. I recalled, too, reading about the role of the Holy Spirit to beautify, celebrate, and enable delight. If the Holy Spirit cultivates delight within us, I can rest in His power, not my own mind’s ability to find something good or right. I can pray that God makes the bitter things sweet and shows me the deep delight that only the Holy Spirit can reveal. I can ask where the Holy Spirit is “giving approval” and let my delight rest there.
Secondly, I loved reading the definition of “prosperity” today in my old NIV 1984 study Bible as it explained the themes in Genesis. True prosperity means you are at peace with God, others, and yourself. The person who find this prosperity is far richer than any person who seems to enjoy material blessing.