There’s been a slow trickle of movement in these here parts, mostly because my vision for why I’m writing has slowly slipped through my fingers like grains of sand. However, during this slow trickle has been an ever growing light of the Holy Spirit moving my heart in a different direction. If you can believe it, He’s been talking to me, and I’m going to let you in on what I’ve heard.
But before I do that, let me tell you how I hear God. Because it isn’t the crazy dream, angel come down on a cloud, booming thunder of God’s voice speaking to me you might have heard of in the Old Testament. It’s been a quiet pull of the heart, frustrated scribblings in my journal, lots of questions without answers, lots of answers without my questioning. It’s been trusted friends sharing their hearts, thoughts popping in my mind that won’t go away, and Scriptures coinciding with my heart, too connected to be coincidence. God speaks to each of us differently, but when we seek out His Word, His Heart, and identify His Character, you can be sure that at least some of the time (none of us are perfect at this, amiright?), He will speak to your heart in a variety of ways. And I’m sitting here in my quiet chair with overwhelming gratitude that God has revealed a few things to me these past few quiet months, and I’d love to share them here, with you.
Quiet. Peace. Family. Holy Spirit.
These are the handful of words coming into my heart over the past few months. The quiet of Advent - decreased phone/screen time, increased Bible reading time, less talking, more listening - has slowly brought a concept that has been hard to wrap my head around: LESS. LESS. LESS.
Less striving, less shame, less arguing, less talking. More God. More relationship. More intentionality. Less loud. More quiet. Less frustration. More patience. You see where I’m going here? Less of me. More of God. Less of my words. More of His.
Each year I change up my quiet time routine to keep things fresh in my relationship with Jesus. Some years I choose to read through the Bible. Other years I’ve chosen a daily devotional, or several daily devotionals to direct where my heart goes. But in this hearing of “LESS,” part of that has meant “less of what others have to say, more of what HE has to say.” So I’ve decided to use the daily readings according to the liturgical calendar to guide me this year. And sometimes I’ll share what I’m hearing from the Holy Spirit, as it relates to those readings and otherwise, right here.
And look at that segue!
The first reading of today is from 1 John 3. Now, we’ve been trotting through 1 John over the past few weeks, and I just love the heart of Saint John in this letter - it’s all about love, y’all! In Chapter 2, we’re reminded that striving is not how we receive the love of Jesus, and today we’re reminded of it again. I love how God’s love story (read: The Bible) is an ongoing building upon and layering of His love for His children. It rocks my world - in such an amazing way - every day.
But I’m going to pull just a couple of verses to reflect on today, and I hope they bring some joy to your hearts as they have mine:
Beloved, we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him: believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He commanded us. 1 John 3:22-23.
Y’all! Do you see that? It doesn’t say: “you’ll get everything you want when you try really hard and do your best to conquer all things on your own.” It says “believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He commanded us.” Believe in Him. Love one another as He does. Period. End of story. Remaining in Christ Jesus means we believe He is the Son of God and the saving power of His death and resurrection on the cross, we read His word, we talk to Him, we ask the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Another way to put it? We abide in Him. When we do this, our hearts slowly change to receive the desires of His heart for US. Not the other way around. And that right there is how we receive everything we want.
Because when the desires of our hearts align with His, we have everything we need—it shifts the focus to “I want what I want” to full contentment and gratitude for what we have. And that’s something I can get behind.
So my prayer for you today, sweet friends, is this: That the desire of your hearts yield to our kind, forgiving and gracious God. That you, however slowly you need, begin to turn your eyes on Him, whether through prayer, reading the Bible, or seeking a friend with strong faith in Jesus to direct you toward Him, so that He may begin to do a new work in your heart, aligning yours more and more with His desire for your life.
Until next time!
Love, Kristin