Hunting for the Spirit

Deacon Ruth May

​“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8 (NRSV) 

How does one notice the light of the Holy Spirit? After all my years of trying, I cannot yet say that I come close to being an expert. The Holy Spirit’s light is not something you can physically see. Instead, you must sense and experience it within your own spirit. The ability to sense this is unlike our five senses we experience in our everyday lives. 
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​Many years ago, one of my favorite sermons by one of my favorite ministers began with a story about hunting. He talked about how hard it is to spot your first deer. Once you have found one, though, it becomes much easier to spot the next deer, and then easier each time after that. He then went on to say that this is exactly the same when you first see the light of the Holy Spirit at work. Once you have seen this, it is much easier to notice it again. Once you know where to look and what to look for, it becomes easy to spot.

​Where there is love, there is also the Holy Spirit. There are many types of love, so please understand that this is the unconditional, peaceful kind of love that many call agape. Maybe it is easy to spot in the look a mother or father gives their child. Maybe it is felt during an act of kindness or charity. Maybe it is heard in hymns or in the words read from the scriptures.
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​Many times, though, the Holy Spirit simply finds you and shines a light so bright that you cannot un-see it (or un-sense it). Maybe it is in the opportunity that finds you after you have experienced as loss, giving you hope. Maybe it is in a welcoming smile or hug that lets you know that you are loved and you belong. Maybe it is found in the occurrence of a complete coincidence, when you know all too well that it really is not a coincidence.
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​I pray that you experience the light of the Holy Spirit many times in your life, within others and within yourself. At times, it may be difficult to sense it guiding you and blessing you along the way. This is not something you can spot by sitting in a tree stand in the forest, but knowing that the Holy Spirit is around you always can help you to be alert for it. Once you finally spot it, it will be easier to find the next time, and again, and again.
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Spiritual Practices