SUPPRESSING THE SPIRIT OF GOD

In recent days, I’ve been overwhelmed by sadness and anxiety, a heaviness that drains my strength both physically and mentally. One morning, as I walked to the park, I asked God why I felt this way. Why has this sudden sadness stolen my joy, and more importantly why can’t I overcome it? I pleaded, “Please speak to me. Show me how to get through this.”

I know the truth: Christ lives in me, and through Him, I can overcome. But today, that truth felt distant and hard to apply. To my surprise, God’s answer was simple: “Through me.” It wasn’t the dramatic sign I expected—no angel, no miracle—just the quiet, powerful truth I already knew.

As I walked, I opened my daily devotional. It was about drunkenness, something irrelevant to me—or so I thought. But halfway through, it pointed to Ephesians 5:18: “Be filled with the Spirit.” Instantly, I knew God was speaking to my heart. My prayers had opened me to this reminder: to overcome fear and depression, I don’t need extraordinary signs—just to let His Spirit fill me.

Being filled with the Spirit means focusing on Christ’s presence vividly and joyfully. It means rising above life’s tragedies and casting out all the fear, sadness, and stress. Today, I realized I had been suppressing that Spirit by inhaling too much of the world’s negativity.

The choice is mine: the poisonous fumes of this world, or the life-giving Spirit of God. Today, I both failed and succeeded. Praise God for His grace!

DON'T WAIT FOR GOD'S PACKAGE

When we come to God with a request, we often pray earnestly, sometimes even desperately. Then, we sit back and wait, expecting our answer to be delivered right to our doorstep.

 

But sometimes, God surprises us. Instead of just dropping the gift off, He invites us to go on a little journey to pick it up ourselves. And on that journey, we might have unexpected encounters with others, with God Himself, or gain experiences that become blessings to share with others later on.

Sometimes the blessings we most need come not just in the gift, but also in the journey that shapes us, opens our hearts, and connects us more deeply with God and those around us.

MY GOD-COLOURED VOICE

I realize that I often pay too much attention to what I’ll call my “God-colored voice.” It’s the voice that tries to say the socially acceptable thing instead of speaking spiritual truth. It’s the “churchy, feel-good voice” that aims to please everyone, even when a harder truth needs to be spoken. 

 

But there is a difference between the voice of the Holy Spirit - who never holds anything back - and my own self-shaped, God-colored voice, which only leads to lukewarm choices. 

 

Those choices may feel right in the moment, but they are usually tailored to my own comfort rather than to God’s desire, or the obedience the moment demands.