My nephew, Jess Hettinger, works for the local water and electric department. Yesterday, we were talking about different things going on in the city. And also about our personal lives. It’s really one of the only adult conversations that I have ever had with him. It was a real blessing for me. Getting to hear him talk about work, his wife, his kids, just life in general, was pretty cool. But what really stuck out to me was him talking about his faith. How he has grown in that area over the last couple years. How he is trying to lead his family as well. Just so very cool. Made me proud of him.
One thing that stuck out to me about our conversation, was hearing him talk about listening to God. When he first really heard God talk to him. How God had been convicting him. For example, he is on the security team at his church. A few months ago he was outside the sanctuary. Keeping watch. And he felt God tell him to go in. So he went in and he felt a presence like never before. I told him that was the Holy Spirit. Well, let’s just say that the Holy Spirit took hold. And his relationship with God changed then. He began to understand what having faith is really about. What having a relationship with our Lord and Savior is really about. And that’s what happens when somebody opens their hearts and lets God in. Their lives change. Just as Jess’s did.
I gave him a piece of advice. Something that he probably already knew. But we all need to hear it every now and then anyways. God is going to convict everyone of us. And he’s not going to stop convicting us until we act. We can choose how we act. Our decision is our decision. Some of us choose to not follow the conviction. And often times, those choices lead to bad results. I know from experience. And I also know this, if we do follow what God is convicting us of, good things will happen. He will bless our actions. Because they are what he wants us to do. Does not mean they are going to be easy. Sometimes very difficult. But they are part of the plan for us. We must listen to God. We must open our hearts and truly listen to what he’s telling us. And remember, his plan for us is good. And it will bring him glory. And that is exactly what we should do.
