The Holy Spirit’s Patience

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

(1 Cor. 3:16 NASB)

As a child, I remember the pastor referring to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Ghost. Since Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost was one of my favorite cartoons, it is not a stretch to understand why I considered the Holy Spirit to be a friendly version of Casper!

Recently, a new believer’s fresh understanding of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit invigorated my faith. I smiled when she referred to the presence of the Holy Spirit in her life as my Holy Spirit.

Paul explains this truth of the Holy Spirit within each believer when he writes the Christians in Corinth. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Cor. 3:16 NASB). Amazing, joyful, and sobering. This awareness challenges me to continue to grow in my understanding of how God wants to live out this quality through me.

Since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and Jesus Christ, I desire to heighten my sensitivity to His prompting to act, to pray, to stop, to wait, or to settle into His peace. Oh Father, make me continually aware of Your presence within me and empower me to respond to Your voice with faith and obedience—for Your glory!

Linda Lesniewski