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How like fallen leaves we are.

While working in the yard one blustery autumn weekend, I blew the fallen leaves from the driveway of our home. Most of them fluttered away with the first pass of the blast from the leaf blower. Other more stubborn leaves flitted into the air and settled back to where they originally lay. After several arcing blasts, I noticed some leaves didn’t move at all. Their edges were near the blower’s air flow and nestled closely to the ground. The blower’s air aerodynamically blew over them. To clear them from the driveway, I had to take a different angle to get past their shaped resistance.

The Holy Spirit blows across our lives to clean and transform our landscapes. In His ever-transforming work, He speaks His truth and clears the clutter. Some of us respond quickly to His initial puffs. Others require second or third passes before responding to His intensifying nudges. Then there are some of us who remain resistant until He moves in such a way that engages us in what He is trying to do.

God’s Spirit speaks truth in a world of deception, convicts hearts set on self-destruction, and transforms those He indwells—propelling the willing into their God-appointed destinies. As our Helper and Comforter, He walks beside us, encouraging and orchestrating events.

Just as the leaves on the driveway, we all have different responses. However, just as my intention was to have a clean driveway, God’s ultimate purpose will prevail. He offers us the privilege to partner with Him in His work. But before we can serve Him, we must be pliable inwardly—immediately responding, never resisting, never quenching His efforts.

Yielding to God’s Spirit involves trusting Him to work all things in our lives for good. Our resistance is simply holding on to what is not good.

Lift the edges of your life’s leaves, and allow the wind of God’s Spirit to launch you as He wills.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)