There’s no getting through this Christian journey without addressing the question, what does God want me to do with my life? Trevor Hudson tackles this topic with the book written under the bold title, Discovering God’s Will For Your Life: A User’s Guide to Discernment.

This short but impactful book has three main outcomes: latching into God’s vision for your life, defining discernment, and taking action on what we learn. Hudson encourages individual application of his points with short exercises found in the book. 

Discovering God’s Will for Your Life (Trevor Hudson): Published by Struik Christian Media. Available wherever books are sold.

Discernment involves recognising God’s active presence and voice so that we can respond to what God is doing and saying, and bring our lives into more harmony with God’s dream for our world. Quote p. 51

Hudson deftly explores discernment of God’s personal will through our lives through scripture, circumstances, the Holy Spirit, our giftings and conversations with those who know us well. He draws from personal experience and decades of pastoral experience. The pages of this book almost radiate with the sage and gentleness you would expect from a seventy-year-plus old pastor who is still pouring out his life for the Father and his children. Expect less ‘name it and claim it’ type ra-ra moments and more slower, head-nodding ‘a-ha!’ moments.

Our personal calling is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. – Trevor Hudson

One of Hudson’s key principles to discerning God’s personal will for your life is to reflect on what you have learnt in your life experiences. The wisdom of experience is only unlocked, he explains, when one takes the time to reflect on the success and failure of circumstances. This is probably why the book is laden with ‘discernment exercises’ to put the knowledge found in these pages into immediate action.

What I loved most about this book was its simple practicality. It is straightforward and easy to understand but acts a teaser to go deeper with God for oneself. I personally loved Hudson’s reflection on spiritual consolation and spiritual desolation, a principle I have used since in trying to discern next steps in decisions.

This book is not for anyone who is looking for an easy way to hear God’s voice for themselves. It is rather a book for those looking to forge spiritual ‘tools’ for their lifelong ‘discernment toolbox’. 

I hope you will pick up a copy of this book and be encouraged to seek out God’s personal will for your life!

This book was kindly sent to me by Struik Christian Media for review. All views expressed are my own.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Book Review: Discovering God’s Will For Your Life: A User’s Guide To Discernment By Trevor Hudson appeared first on Cup of Faith.

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Galatians 6:8 NKJV)

There are so many stories I could tell you about my adventures with the Holy Spirit. I could tell you about the times He’s spoken to me during devotional readings, or ministered through me to others in my church. Or the time He expressed joy through my friend and I in the form of non-stop laughter. Out of the Trinity, I believe the Holy Spirit was the first Person of God that I really came to know intimately. In my first year of regular church attendance, as I slowly began to open my heart to God, I would cry and weep during every worship service, without fail. I wasn’t sad. My body was responding to the overwhelming presence of the Shekinah, the glory of God in the Person of the Spirit.

And yet writing about the Holy Spirit seems to be the most challenging. He’s described in scripture as ‘wind’ or a ‘river’ or ‘light’. Can you put wind in a box? Can you explain the shape of water to someone? Can you hold light to examine its qualities? Instead, the Holy Spirit has to be experienced.

He hates to be ‘quenched’, that terrible moment when we choose to listen to our flesh – our minds and wills and desires and physical longings – without submitting to His leading. He hates to be grieved when we choose legalism over the powerful, all-sufficient grace of the gospel. 

A worship service is empty and dry without that river, that light, that wind of His Presence. And yet we have no means to manufacture His Presence. In fact, the more we try to recreate ‘a spiritual atmosphere’ from our own efforts, the more we press into legalism and works, reaping corruption of the flesh. He comes when we wait for Him to. And when He does, there’s no mistaking, there’s no forgetting, that river, that light, that powerful wind that leaves nothing that it touches unchanged.

Exercise

Dear friend, when was the last time you just waited with expectation for the voice of His Presence? Without your own agenda, allowing Him to say whatever He wants to say, to do whatever He wants to do? If it’s been too long, I encourage you to do a small exercise today:

1. First, clear your cluttered mind by journaling or free-writing.
2. Set a timer for 5 minutes
3. Sit in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed (this could even be a bathroom at desperate times!)
4. Open your hands out and close your eyes.
5. Pray: Lord, I’m here. Then wait quietly.
6. In your heart, submit to waiting for Him to move or speak as He wants to.

If after the timer goes off you haven’t experienced the Spirit, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. You can acknowledge and respect His choice not to show up without taking it personally. You exercised submission and desire and that’s all that is required from you. Perhaps He was delighting in you without your knowing it! When it comes to the Holy Spirit, we are asked not to try figure Him out. The wind comes and goes where it wishes, without our understanding.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post The Holy Spirit appeared first on Cup of Faith.

by Melissa de Lange

On the 30^th of January 1986 I was born at 11:00 in the morning. My journey into this world wasn’t an easy one. When my mom went for her check up at the doctors she didn’t know that she was in labor. She never experienced any labor pains or feel any symptoms. The doctor then rushed her to the hospital and that’s where all hell broke loose. I was laying transverse which the doctors never picked up in any scans. They rushed her to the emergency room where she had an emergency C-section. When I finally came out I didn’t breath for 20 minutes. The doctors confirmed that I would be a vegetable (what a nasty way to describe disabled people!), and that I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed. My mom would have to feed me with a tube. I wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, run or play. (I guess they were wrong again! All Glory be to God!)

I was in the ICU incubator for 10 days and during this time my parents couldn’t hold me; they could only touch me through the holes in the cradle. On one occasion the paediatrician came to my mom to tell her she would have to put me in a home because I wouldn’t be able to have a normal life. That broke my mom and that’s when she decided to invite all of the pastors to come to the hospital to pray. The following day I nursed for the first time like any other baby.

You see, when my mother was still pregnant with me there was a nasty incident. My parents had a lady helping them around the house and one day mom had asked her to do something. She replied with a sarcastic “NO”. Mom then proceeded to ask her to leave and that’s when she returned with a bucket of white stuff which she threw all over mom’s tummy. Mom’s pregnancy was otherwise normal and there were no complications until she went into labor.

Longing for Acceptance

I was discharged after 10 days. Mom had my room all done up in pink (can only imagine!). My brother was the one to make me laugh loud for the first time. They were all so happy! I did everything a normal baby could do but I struggled at times. I was referred to The Brown’s School where I started with physio therapy. I joined the school after that and attended creche. I only started walking at the age of 4 years old.

Growing up was hard. Wherever we went people used to stare and laugh (that really hurt the most). No one asked why I was sitting in a pram. My gran told me that when I just started walking I used to walk with my legs wide apart for balance. Honestly being at a school for the disabled that was the only place I really felt accepted. My whole life I knew that I was different but I had this burn deep down inside that when I grew up that I would be “normal” and accepted.

Spiritual Sight

I was quite young when I started seeing things, probably around 4 years of age. The very first thing I really took notice of was a little boy who used to run around in our backyard. At first I didn’t say anything to anyone because it seemed nobody else saw him. One day he had asked me to follow him through the banana trees but my mom called me inside just then. I can’t recall seeing him again after that day but from then on, things spiralled out of control. We moved around a lot and in every house we lived in, I saw things.

Honestly sitting here looking back, it brings tears to my eyes to think of the things I could see – and no one believed me at first. It got so bad to a point where I started sleeping in my parents room until I was about 14 years old. I was so scared these things wouldn’t leave me alone.

An Unhappy Life

I could never explain why, but I always was just so nasty to everyone, even to my friends at school. I would just get angry for the slightest reason, it destroyed a lot of my friendships and relationships. This went back and forth for years. I started smoking at the age of 16 started drinking at the age of 18 and so on. But I could never take drugs. I remember being suicidal. All I wanted to do was die. That was my biggest wish in life. Oh, I tried to commit suicide twice before (not proud of it but its true).

I went to counsellors, psychologists, pastors even and nothing seemed to help or work. In 2018 our house caught alight, just like that, without any storm or any other reason. Thank the Lord again no one was hurt. After that, things seemed to get worse so we then got in contact with these pastors. They came and cleared our home. It seemed to have worked for everyone else but not for me. I was still seeing things but they were the most ugliest things I have ever seen in my life.

Things used to come flying out of my room, my name was being called at all times when no one was home. There’s just so much that happened during the course of my life. I recall a nun that used to stand outside of the window whilst I would be washing dishes and she would just suck the life right out of me. That was when I had enough and decided to take control.

A Change

I contacted those same pastors and explained what was going on. They took months to get back to me so I gave up. One day I received a call from the pastor inviting me to go to church that Sunday and I said, ‘yes, please!’ Church was amazing but something didn’t feel right. I felt like I didn’t belong but I fought the feeling, and they had invited me to go back the following Sunday.

The morning of the 5^th of June 2022 I was so nervous and I had this overwhelming desire to run. I have no idea why because it was Church: what was there to be scared of, right? That day I would walk into church as melissa for the very last time. Sitting there in the front of the church I was so scared. Everything inside me started shaking. I remember the prophet saying, ‘If there is anyone here who needs to come up for prayers, now is the time.’ I couldn’t move but my aunty Elizabeth told me to stand up. I didn’t want to but I went. Standing in that line, waiting for Pastor Griffith to come to pray for me I then got an overwhelming desire to run but my feet didn’t want to cooperate with me. I saw him getting closer and closer; my heart leaped into my chest. I still can’t explain why I was feeling so scared. It’s the Lord, after all? When he came up to me he looked at me and started praying that’s the last thing I remember. I then woke up on the floor. 

When I opened my eyes, I knew that I was in a church, and that I had been delivered because I had a feeling I have never felt in my life before. Let me try and explain it the best way I can then I will tell you who I saw. Laying there for a few minutes, I felt like I was in the best place ever. I felt like I was surrounded by peace – not just any peace, but peace straight from heaven. I opened my eyes and saw the prophet and all of the pastors. But standing just behind the prophet I saw Jesus Himself. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Jesus was there and I SAW Him. (this brings tears to my eyes just recalling that day).  There was a feeling of sheer relief in my body. It felt like something left – I felt it leaving – and I never looked back ever since.

I see things still but not like before. I get visions of Heaven I have proper conversations with Jesus Himself. He sits with me and mom every night at the kitchen table while I read the Bible and pray. We have conversations. He’s shared a lot of things with me. I’ve even met His angels and Saint Peter who stands at Heavens gates.

I will never look back. My life is for Jesus. I have never ever loved someone so much as much as I love Him. He’s taught me things, He’s told me things, He’s showed me things.

I was born Melissa de Lange in 1986 but that’s not me anymore. People ask me today who are you, my reply?

I am Melissa de Lange the daughter of The Living God. I have a best friend, a father, a teacher. His Name is Jesus Christ and He is real. He is here and He wants to save us.

I hope that one day I can inspire people to begin a journey with Jesus Christ. Honestly it’s the best thing I have ever done. A lot has changed. Ive lost friends and family but one thing remains and that’s my Lord Jesus Christ. I will never walk alone.

I’ve come a long way and still have a long way to go. But I would love to gather as many people as I can for Jesus cause without Him we are nothing.

I hope this inspires people.

God Bless you and keep you.

Guest Author

From time to time, Cup of Faith receives guest posts from people who would prefer to contribute to the blog once-off. These authors may choose to stay anonymous or may have their name featured in the post itself.

The post My Story: Encountering Jesus Christ appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Beulah Kleinveldt

Beulah Kleinveldt or Ms B”, as she is fondly known is a mother, grandmother and mentor. Her journey speaks of success and victory, failure, shame and restoration. A passion to live an intentional life.

4shadesofscarlet.blogspot.com/

The post The Father Heart of God appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Many readers will recognise the name Louie Giglio as the founder of the Passion conferences and the famous ‘Indescribable’ preacher. In his book, Seeing God as a Perfect Father (an updated and retitled edition of Not Forsaken), Giglio shares truth about God’s fatherhood, our worldly and Western understanding of fatherhood and invites us to untangle the two for a freer, more powerful Christian walk.

Published by Thomas Nelson and distributed in South Africa by Struik Christian Media. Available wherever books are sold.

Giglio grapples with many challenging aspects surrounding the concept of fatherhood and ways in which our vision of God’s fatherhood may be clouded. He shares six possible stereotypical fathers we may have had, which have in turn impacted our view of God’s fatherhood. He writes with Christ-centred passion about the way in which God positions himself as a father to us. Did you know that Jesus refers to God as ‘Father’ more than any other term? Readers familiar with Louie Giglio will recognise his reverence, love for story-telling and astronomy drops. He flavours his writing with testimonies and vulnerable details about his relationship with his own father.

I appreciated the book’s willingness to provide a fresh and honest perspective of the difficulty of relating to God as a father without losing an awe-inspiring perspective of God’s perfect love for us, his children. I wrote previously about my journey to find approval from my father in heaven and wasn’t surprised to come across the topic of approval early on in this book. It’s a biggie.

I was convicted by the last few chapters which painted a picture of what a life impacted by a personal relationship to a Father God might look like practically.

I don’t know what kind of earthly father you had, but I know that God has spanned heaven and earth to reach you. And I know if you want one, the reality of a perfect Father can be yours. I pray your eyes are open to see Him as He truly is, and your heart is beating fast knowing His eyes are on you and His heart is for you. His blessing is full and free. The waterfall is pouring down goodness today. His spiritual genes have re-created you and His hand is there to lead you. You can take your next step as a loved daughter –a loved son – of the perfect Father. Quote from p. 209

If we are born-again children grafted into a new family with a new father, we will no longer be trapped by old, unhelpful habits passed down from generation to generation. We can be imitators of our spiritual Dad.

This book is great for newer Christians and readers who don’t enjoy too much jargon. It is written in a comfortable and light style which makes the challenging subject matter easier to digest. Readers who were not brought up in a predominantly Western home may not relate entirely to some descriptions of difficulties Giglio describes. If you have ever wondered about God’s ‘father heart’ towards you or have had difficulties relating to your own earthly father, this book is a great introduction to these subjects without being too heavy.

This book was kindly sent to me by Struik Christian Media for review. All views expressed are my own.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Seeing God as a Perfect Father by Louie Giglio appeared first on Cup of Faith.

By Marthe Badibanga

Ever wondered how to weave the concept of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—into your everyday routine? It’s one thing to understand the Trinity as a theological concept, but living it out can make a real difference in how we experience our faith. Understanding and relating to each Person of the Trinity can profoundly enrich our spiritual journey.

Connecting with God the Father

Think of God the Father as the ultimate parent—one who’s always there, supporting and guiding you. He’s the creator of everything and the One who keeps the universe ticking. Relating to the Father often starts with seeing Him as the loving source of everything in our lives (James 1:17). One of the primary ways we get to know the Father is through prayer. Prayer is like having a heart-to-heart with a trusted friend or parent. It’s our chance to share our day, our worries, and our gratitude. Imagine sitting down for a chat with someone who’s always eager to listen and help. That’s how talking to God the Father can feel—comforting and personal. Jesus encouraged us to pray to God the Father through Him, and by the Spirit (Matt. 6:9; Eph. 2:18).

1. Start Your Day with Gratitude

Kick off your day by acknowledging God the Father as the source of all good things. Spend a few moments in the morning giving thanks for the new day, for the blessings you have, and for the opportunities ahead. This simple act can set a positive tone for your day.

2. Seek Guidance in Decision-Making

When faced with choices, big or small, turn to God the Father for guidance. Pray for wisdom and clarity.

3. Reflect on Creation

Sometimes, it’s helpful to step outside and just breathe in the beauty around you. Whether it’s a stunning sunset or the intricate details of a flower, seeing God’s handiwork can remind you of His presence and power. It’s like God saying, “Look, I made this just for you!”

Embracing God the Son, Jesus Christ, in our Life

Jesus Christ is like the ultimate friend who’s been through everything we’ve been through. He came to show us how to live, love, and even how to handle tough times. Jesus represents God’s love and redemption. His life, death, and resurrection are central to understanding how deeply God values us. Relating to Jesus involves recognizing His sacrifice and how it brings us into a new relationship with God and how it changes everything for us. This can be a source of profound gratitude and inspiration in our own lives.

1. Learning from His Teachings

Jesus’ teachings are not just historical accounts; they are living words that guide us today. By studying the Gospels and reflecting on Jesus’ life, we can learn how to live with compassion, forgiveness, and purpose. His example of love and humility serves as a model for how we can navigate our relationships and challenges.

2. Building a Personal Connection Through Worship

Worshiping Jesus, whether through church services, personal reflection, or acts of service, helps to build a personal connection with Him. This can involve singing hymns, participating in communion, or simply spending time in silent reflection on His life and teachings. It’s in these acts that we draw closer to Jesus and experience His presence in our lives.

3. Model Your Actions After Jesus

Jesus lived a life full of compassion, grace, and service. Try to mirror these qualities in your interactions with others. Whether it’s showing kindness to a stranger or forgiving someone who’s wronged you, let Jesus’ example guide your actions.

Inviting the Holy Spirit into our Daily Routine

The Holy Spirit is often seen as the active presence of God in our lives, guiding, comforting, and empowering us. Relating to the Holy Spirit involves being open to His influence and guidance. The Spirit helps us grow in faith, equips us for service, and brings comfort during times of trouble.

1. Listening to the Spirit’s Promptings

The Holy Spirit often speaks through subtle nudges and promptings. Learning to recognize and respond to these can enhance our spiritual journey. This might involve feeling a sudden urge to help someone, experiencing a deep sense of peace, or gaining insight into a personal issue. Trusting these promptings and seeking discernment through prayer can help us align more closely with the Spirit’s guidance. Spend a few moments each day in silence, inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to you. This could be through meditation, journaling, or simply being still. It’s a way to tune in to the Spirit’s guidance and support.

2. Experiencing the Spirit’s Power Through Spiritual Gifts

The Holy Spirit empowers believers with spiritual gifts such as wisdom, healing, and prophecy. Understanding and utilizing these gifts can be a way to relate more deeply to the Spirit. Engaging in practices that nurture these gifts and seeking opportunities to serve others can help us experience the Spirit’s active presence in our lives.

3. Engage in Community

Find a faith community where you can discuss and explore how the Spirit impacts your life. Sharing experiences and learning from others can provide additional insights and support for integrating the Trinity into your daily routine.

Bringing it All Together

Integrating the Trinity into our daily life is all about making these profound relationships a living, breathing part of our routine. By connecting with the Father, modelling our actions after the Son, and being open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can experience a richer, more vibrant faith. Relating to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit doesn’t have to be compartmentalized. Each aspect of the Trinity plays a unique role, but they work together harmoniously.
Consider how each Person can be a part of your daily activities. For instance, you might start your day with a prayer to the Father, seek Jesus’ guidance through study and worship, and remain open to the Spirit’s prompts throughout the day. Let your relationship with the Trinity influence your everyday choices and interactions. Whether it’s showing love and kindness, making ethical decisions, or finding ways to serve others, let the Trinity be reflected in your actions.

What about you? How do you connect with the Trinity in your daily life? Share your thoughts or practices in the comments—I’d love to hear how you keep your connection with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit alive and active.

Here’s to discovering and deepening our connections with the Trinity!

_______

I am a passionate volunteer blogger with a love for writing, dedicated to sharing inspiring words to uplift others and a drive to make a difference, I long to see fellow Christians become all that God wants them to be.

Marthe Badibanga

A volunteer blogger whose passion is to see the people of God become all that the LORD intended them to be in their personal relationships with Him that overflow into their daily lives.

The post Deepen Your Spiritual Journey: Engaging with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit appeared first on Cup of Faith.

In my previous post, I wrote about how we may relate to God the Trinity, by briefly outlining how we may be image bearers of the Trinity through mind, body and spirit, which I would now like to unpack in more detail looking at us as image bearers of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Image Bearers of the Father

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9 NIV). 

All that Jesus said and did in his life was a physical reflection of God the Father. In his book, ‘The Pleasures of God’, John Piper describes this idea of image bearing between God the Father and the Son by alluding to a mirror, “God’s delight in his Son is a delight in Himself, for the Father and the Son are one. When God the Father contemplates the Son of God, he enjoys the perfect reflection of Himself.” 

While the relationship between our physical selves and our minds cannot fully compare to the relationship between Jesus and God the Father, it does provide an opportunity for us to pause and consider how our physical selves and all its associated actions and behaviours reflect our inner minds. Jesus was, is and always has been perfect, because he was, is and always has been the tangible reflection and representation of God the Father. 

If we think of our physical lives as representations of our minds, then it becomes clear that we need to pay attention to what is happening in our minds and how they are reflecting the mind of God the Father, “Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2 NIV)

I am personally guilty of focusing too much on what I’m physically doing to the extent that I disregard what is happening in my mind. While I do have dedicated daily quiet time, I find that I am far too engaged with secular content throughout my day outside of this, whether it be social media, music or watching series on streamers in the evening. That is not to say that secular content is always a bad thing, but we should be conscious of whether it impacts our closeness with God. I tried to think of a metaphor to illustrate my point, and thanks to the help of ChatGPT, I found the following analogy: if we think of our mind as a garden where every thought occupies a plot of soil, when we fill it with things where God is absent, we limit the room available for seeds of spirituality to grow and therefore limits how our minds may reflect more of God the Father.

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV) 

Of course, our minds are not only influenced by things we consume, but things that come from within and I especially allow far too many negative thoughts about myself and how others view me to occupy my mind. I sometimes struggle to fully believe God’s love for me and I know it’s because I allow too much clutter in my mind that negative thoughts – and lies – slip in unnoticed. If we could all fill our minds with thoughts of His love for us, we would be able to recognise imposters more quickly and not harbour ill feelings towards ourselves and others, “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered.”

Image Bearers of the Son

“For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made Holy.” (Hebrews 10:14 NIV). 

We know that Jesus was fully human and yet fully God too, because he died a physical death, and yet defied all physical laws and rose again, proving his deity. This was done for our salvation, because he died a physical death in our place, paying for our sins, and yet he was a perfect sacrifice because though he was fully human, he was without sin. We are therefore set free from legalism through his grace and great sacrifice, but it could not have been accomplished unless he became fully human. Therefore we should never underestimate the importance of our bodies. And yet I think we do so often under-estimate this importance because our bodies can seem ‘unspiritual’. 

Nothing can be less true in light of the incarnation. This is why sins against the body are so grievous to God and should be to us. 

When we think of sins against the body, our minds might turn to heavier subjects such as sexual immorality, addiction, physical assault against others and even self-harm, and we are right to consider these things as deep offences in light of the body that God not only created, but himself took on in order to save us. This is why these days I cannot watch content with violence, because though it’s not real, I find the visual destruction of the human body abhorrent. It’s bad enough that in real life such heinous crimes have been committed against the body through genocide, murder and even the torture and murder of our own saviour, making light of it through entertainment is even more abhorrent to me!

Yet there are milder sins against the body that I know I for one am guilty of daily, comfort eating being the prime example. Though indulging in a sweet treat or a favourite type of food is not sinful, depending on it for comfort and over-indulging in it is not only placing it above God as a thing I turn to, but it is not healthy for my body. And there are other examples where we may take our bodies for granted such as neglecting physical exercise, overworking, neglecting sleep and general poor stress management. As image bearers of Jesus in bodily form, we should consider how we reflect Jesus through the care of our bodies without becoming legalistic in how we do it.

But this is not to limit our reflection of Jesus to the physical care of the body, because we are called to live our lives as reflections of Jesus. While he did suffer and die for us, he also modelled for us the ultimate humility and surrender of the body to God’s will. We may not all be called to extreme sacrifice such as selling all our possessions, celibacy or martyrdom, but we should certainly be aiming to reflect Jesus’ heart of surrender to God’s will, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34 NIV).

This may seem heavy, but the last thing we should do is mistake a life following Jesus’ example as burdensome or oppressive. He came to bring us joy and free us from lives of religious rule-following. But he also came to free us from sin by showing the joy lived in relationship with the Father and intimately knowing the Father’s mind and heart. Because everything that is not of the Father’s mind and heart, though it may at first appear to be harmless fun, leads to a grieving and oppressed spirit. We need only speak to an addict who was once ‘free’ to make their own choices, but now find themselves stuck in a cycle of destruction and oppression, to see how this is true.

Image Bearers of the Holy Spirit

This leads me to what I believe to be the deepest essence of who we are: our spirit. Our spirit relates to the Holy Spirit, who is tragically overlooked by many Christians. I say tragically, because I’ve found through this exploration of the trinity and how it relates to our image bearing, that the Holy Spirit is the key to us being faithful image bearers as Christians. We don’t reflect the Holy Spirit, because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, and the more we live by Him, the more the Father and the Son are reflected, but not through our own efforts, but through His power.

Before we accept salvation, one may say that we have individual spirits that can be compared to the Holy Spirit. We have our own intuition we use to guide us. We have lovers and friends where the connection is so deep, we describe them as our ‘soul mates’. We feel things so deeply that they go far beyond just the physiological. When we are saved, we are given the Holy Spirit, who comes to live within us as our counselor, who is close to us and feels our deeper, inner thoughts and not just our actions, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV).  This suggests a wonderful intimacy with the Holy Spirit, who is also our connection to the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit comes to replace our own intuition and instincts, and the more we surrender to Him, the more our spirits living independent from God die, and therefore the more room the Holy Spirit fills within us, which is when we bear more fruits of the Holy Spirit.

This means that if we fail to acknowledge the presence and kingship of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are essentially neglecting the power chord that connects us to Jesus and the Father, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7 NIV). It is the Holy Spirit that reveals God’s truth to us in the first place, and therefore it is by His Holy Spirit that our minds are renewed, and our bodies empowered to follow Jesus’s example.

In other words, it all culminates in our relationship to the Holy Spirit, which makes sense because our eternal destination is determined by the state of our souls, that are similar in nature to the Holy Spirit. When our lives are lived predominantly by the power of the Holy Spirit, we reflect the Father and the Son, with no effort and under no burden because we are fuelled by power and joy which lives in the essence of who God is.

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

The post Image Bearers of the Trinity Part Two appeared first on Cup of Faith.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'” (Genesis 1:26 NIV).

Something that strikes me in the above verse is how God made it clear to us in the very beginning that He existed as a self-sufficient community. It is not by accident that the pronoun “us” is used instead of “me” and points directly to God as the Holy Trinity. What is more, we are created in His image, which means we are three persons in one.

Wow! This excites me, because as an introvert, I have always had the ability to enjoy my own company. It is quite a relief to know that this is not a bad thing if it is one of the aspects of our creator. The only difference is that I am imperfect, which is why unlike God, I can’t be holistically self-sufficient.

This idea of being an image bearer of the Holy Trinity has opened an entirely new way of viewing God and therefore how I may relate to and connect with Him. In the past, I have sometimes struggled with the concept of the Trinity, because I would find myself praying only to Jesus for example, and then worrying that I had neglected our Father or His Holy Spirit, and vice versa. But of course, it is not possible to speak to Jesus alone without speaking to God the Father and the Holy Spirit. While from the beginning of my faith journey I have known this in my head, I have not always had a full revelation in my heart of why it’s not possible, until recently.

My starting point was Jesus, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:1 NIV). When Jesus was born, the world for the first time was able to physically see and tangibly hear God through him, and this is similar to us too. In our bodily forms, we are able to tangibly relate to the world and communicate with it through our words, our expressions, our attitudes and the things that we ourselves create, such as art, music, governments, infrastructure, varying ideologies in different spheres, and on an individual level, we create through our relationships, our homes, personal journals, photographs, social media posts and even words that may impact others around us.

Yet these are manifestations of the unseen aspects of us that don’t directly connect to the world; our thoughts, our opinions, our knowledge, our memories and our creativity. All of these things are not visible entities to the outside world, but they do exist within the holistic entity of our mind, which is central to everything else about us. Then there is the entity of our souls, or for the purpose of this post to draw clearer comparisons, our spirit, which connects us to everything unseen in the eternal spiritual realm and includes things such as our love, which has been described as living beyond the grave by even the secular world. 

Therefore, if you speak to me, you are not only speaking to my body, you are also speaking to my mind and my spirit which coexist unseen together; yet it is all me, but different entities of me coexisting in every breath and every moment. If we are to look at ourselves in this way as three in one image bearers of God, we can then perhaps begin to see how God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit exist as three in one. This idea is what has unlocked a new understanding of my relationship with God and I have experienced new depths of what it means to be an image bearer of God the Trinity.

Jesus claimed that he was a direct reflection of the Father when he said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9 NIV). Therefore, if Jesus is represented by us in our physical forms, then by extending the above thoughts of the mind, body and spirit, we can perhaps compare our minds to the Father, and therefore how well are we reflecting the Father through what happens in our minds and how we use them?

If our physical bodies and physical communication with the world are to be compared to Jesus, then how are we reflecting Jesus in this way? How do we actively love those around us? How do we serve others? How much do we care for our physical selves in a Godly way, simultaneously are we obstinate when it comes to how we are physically used by God? Then there is our own spirit, our own eternal entity and eternal destination. How do we reflect the Holy Spirit in our spiritual lives?

This new way of viewing the Holy Trinity has not only allowed me to explore the way in which I reflect God, but it also means that I have uncovered new ways to connect with Him, because I now have different layers of my make-up with which to draw nearer to Him that go beyond a checklist of activities, but rather seeing how God can renew me in both my mind, body and my spirit.

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

The post Image Bearers of the Trinity appeared first on Cup of Faith.