Living Out of the Spirit

I had an incident yesterday that really bothered

me.  

We were in a public place and a woman scolded

my son (rudely!) without giving me a chance to 

correct him.....and I get sassy! Ugh!!!  And she

got sassy back.  Double ugh!!  And all of this sass

led to anger-not the good kind.

This doesn't happen to me often at all.  I am very

non-confrontational.  If anything, I am overly 

apologetic...to the point that it's annoying.  But there

was something about how someone spoke to my

youngest child that made the Lioness come to the 

surface and want to protect her little cub.

Later that evening, I was running through the events of the

day and I felt horrible for the way I acted in that moment.  

And it hit me---I wasn't living out of my Spirit!---or was

I?

What does living out of our Spirit look like?  Certainly

it is different for everyone just as we all are unique and 

not the same.  Right?!  Does living out of our Spirit look calm?

Peaceful?

Meek?

Quiet?

Gentle?

Patient?

Self-controlled?

Sure!  In some cases I bet it does look like these wonderful

traits.  They are, in fact, called the fruits of the Spirit,

But are there not times when we are to be 

bold,

fearless,

and confident?!

Are we not called to speak with authority and power

that can only come from Him?  And I'm sure at those 

times it may not always be gentle and meek.

Jesus only did what He saw The Father do and He would

only say what He heard The Father speak.  Yet, in 

knowing this, Jesus criticized and rebuked the Pharisees.

He drove the money changers and people who were

buying and selling out of the temple by knocking over

tables and chairs!  This doesn't sound like the Jesus that

is often portrayed to us in church.  That calm, cool, 

collected 24/7 Jesus.  No!!!  This sounds like a man that

was passionate!!!  Who was bold, fearless and confident

about His Father's business!!!

Back to the incident.  

No, I do not think I was living out of my Spirit in that moment.

One way I know is because I reacted instead of responding.

I let my emotions do all of the talking.  Another way I know

is because I felt guilt for my reaction.  And lastly, the first

thing I thought afterwards (when I was calm!) was I did not

show any love in that moment.  I was not an accurate 

representation of my Father to that woman or even to my son.

What a WASTE!!!!

There are times when we are called to be calm and quiet,

gentle and patient and to exercise self-control.  But then

there are times when we are called to be bold and passionate,

fearless and confident.  And it may not look like any of the 

things I have listed above and that's ok!!

If we stay in constant communion with Him and we lean 

totally and completely on the Holy Spirit, then His grace

will always be more than enough to lead, guide and direct

us through whatever He is calling us to in each and every

moment!

Hallelujah!!!