One of the fundamental beliefs I have is that we are all created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). Not only are we created in His image and likeness but I also believe that we have everything we need in us to live. This requires an ongoing journey of self-discovery in order to unpack the unique human qualities God has bestowed in us.
Christians have been freely given a gift that is not innate or inherited upon birth but made available to us by faith through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. This gift is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been called Advocate, Helper, Counselor/Comforter, Spirit of Truth; Wisdom; Understanding; Counsel; Might; Knowledge and the fear of the Lord, just to name a few (John 14:16; John 14:26; John 15:26; Isaiah 11:2).
As Christians we have been given an advantage in life. By faith, through Jesus, we have been given the Holy Spirit who acts as a compass and navigation system in our lives at times. Rather than trying to unpack the things God has placed in us on our own and navigating the ups and downs of life alone, we have been given the Holy Spirit to help us.
The Holy Spirit is many things as mentioned earlier, but one way that might help you understand what the Holy Spirit could look like in your life is through the analogy of the HOV lane.
If you’ve never driven on the 401 before there is a lane called the HOV lane (High-Occupancy Vehicle) that is reserved for vehicles holding two or more occupancies. This lane does wonders when you are in rush hour traffic. However, sometimes when we don’t have another person in the vehicle, we are stuck with the regular lanes with everyone else trying to get to where they need to be.
I’d like to suggest to you that having the Holy Spirit with you is like having that extra person in the car. Not only do you have someone to go through Spotify on your phone and choose your favorite song to play in the car for you but you also have a guide with more than a lifetime’s worth of knowledge, wisdom, and experience.
With the Holy Spirit in our car we have access to the HOV Lane. We can bypass some heavy traffic and maybe even get to our destination a little faster. Now I’m not suggesting that the Holy Spirit gives you a worry-free troubleless life if we have Him with us, as HOV lanes are also subject to traffic and construction closures. But I am suggesting to you that the Holy Spirit gives us needed guidance in life and sometimes helps us reroute, take detours and avoid obstacles when consulted, similar to the GPS.
Even as Christians we sometimes forget who is with us and the access we have to a completely different lane like the HOV lane. Just like the 401, you don’t automatically merge onto the HOV lane. You merge onto the regular driving lanes first and if you have two or more people in your car, you have the option to make your way to the HOV lane.
In life we always have a choice to follow the Holy Spirit but it takes an intentional aligning of ourselves to God and submitting to His ways. If you’ve driven on the 401, you know that it can be very tricky and sometimes difficult to make those lane changes, especially during rush hours. You have to decide whether it’s worth it to stay in the lane you are in or move to the HOV lane.
We have a similar choice in life: Do you want to stay on the path you are on doing what you have been doing or do you want to follow the Holy Spirit and allow Him to take you to places you haven’t even thought of going?
Sometimes we have the Holy Spirit in the car with us and rather than following His guidance we try to tell the Holy Spirit where we are going and how we’re going to get there. If that’s not bad enough, sometimes we even complain about the routes we take when they go wrong and blame everything without considering ourselves and the choices we made. Maybe that’s just me.
My prayer for you is that you would wake up every morning knowing that the Holy Spirit is with you. I pray that you would allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you in your day to day. May we have the humility and character to make the necessary and sometimes difficult adjustments to align and submit ourselves to the will of God and the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Teach us how to follow your ways. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!