an even greater advocate ...

prophetic ministry is definitely not something i grew up with, and is certainly something that can be abused, but since moving to nashville i have seen too much evidence of the Holy Spirit moving in that way to deny its existence. the evidences in my own life alone are enough to make me believe.

for example ...

a month or so ago, i attended a prophetic service at my church. the visiting pastor had a word he had heard from God for each person in attendance. my word had to do with having a pastor’s heart, being a teacher, reaching children, and money from writing grants. then, at the end, he threw in a bit about a medical company that was going to be very kind to me. with my recent medical history, i was very curious as to what that might mean. while talking to my mom last week, it hit me.

in spite of all the continued frustrations, there has been one point of encouragement. two months ago, when i went to my regular doctor’s office about my pleurisy, they put me with one of their new associates. from the beginning, i have been so incredibly impressed with her attentiveness. she doesn’t just rush through our appointments - as is most often the case anymore - but has been very thorough with every examination and set of questions. when things didn’t get better, she took a more aggressive approach instead of just continuing with the same treatment. when things started improving, she still wanted answers to why the problem had presented in the first place. when she didn’t have the answers, she was willing to admit it and determined to get to the bottom of things. this weekend, she responded to an email after hours with, “we will figure this out together, do not worry.” it literally brought tears to my eyes. i cannot tell you how refreshing it is to finally have an advocate after 10 years of doctors not following through.

if that’s not a medical company being kind to me, i don’t know what is.

God is so sweet like that. He has given us the greatest advocate we will ever have, as long as we are looking for and to Him.

and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. the world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. but you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. (john 14:16-17)

even though i have my little freak-out moments, in the end i can’t help but trust Him. His examination of us is thorough (search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. [psalm 139:23-24]). and He will take the most aggressive approach necessary to get to the root of our issues so that we can enjoy the freedom of life in Him.

i know that He will come through. He always does. it might not look exactly like what i thought. but He’s never left me hanging once.

“we will figure this out together, do not worry.”