Who Is Leading You?

One thing that Dwayne and I, along with Bryce and Kristen, kept saying over and over during our trip to Peru was, “We couldn’t do this without Brittne.” We could not really communicate with anyone. Though they knew some words, it was not enough to communicate. We could have asked where the bathroom was, or how much something cost, or for water; but we needed so much more. I don’t know how many times we asked Brittne how to say something or what someone said or what she said to someone. We had to have driven her crazy! Without her, we wouldn’t have known where to go and where not to go. We wouldn’t have known what to eat and what not to eat. We wouldn’t have known when we were getting ripped off from taxi drivers or market vendors. We couldn’t have ordered off a menu, at least not very well. We wouldn’t have known about some safety issues, like how you have to disinfect all fruits and vegetables to get rid of all the bacteria. We wouldn’t have known to stay as close as sardines in lines because cutting in line is part of their culture. We would have missed out on some great experiences like sand boarding and the park of fountains. We wouldn’t have had some life changing experiences like staying in a hostel, or attending a Peruvian church, or visiting the orphanage. She directed us through our visit to unknown places. She taught us the dos and don'ts of living there. She taught us through our circumstances. She showed us how to have fun. She communicated for us. She gave us a sense of security.
What Brittne was for us is a great example of what God's Holy Spirit is for us. Though she demonstrated so many of His characteristics to us, He is so much more! Sometimes this world we live in seems so unknown to us. Scripture tells us that we are aliens or visitors in this world. God gives us His Holy Spirit to help us during this journey of life in a land where we do not belong. The Holy Spirit teaches us and directs us. He gives us joy. He communicates on our behalf. He comforts us. He interprets life for us at times. He also gives us gifts and fills us with His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We can feel comforted to know that all we have to do to survive in this world is surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will help us in all things if we will just learn to follow! Are you going to figure this life out on our own, which is impossible? Are you going to go down the paths you want? Or are you going to trust Jesus to direct you and grow you by the Holy Spirit through this amazing life? Choose wisely!

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea of our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications to every detail of our life.

Galatians 5:22-25 (The Message)