The Holy Spirit: God Among UsSample

Have you ever wondered if there is a place where you really belong? Maybe you have felt left out or wondered if anyone could ever accept the real you. This is a very normal experience. As a matter of fact, God himself created you with a deep desire to belong. And he provides you with a way to fulfill that desire through his family!

The moment you put your faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you, and you become part of the family of God. Through him, every background, culture, personality, and story has a place in his family—or, as the Bible puts it, in the body of Christ.

Our verse today describes it like this: “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13, NLT). In God’s family, your background, personality, and gifts all matter. Instead of making everyone the same, the Holy Spirit helps us celebrate our unique makeup as an intentional part of God’s design. Whether you are loud or quiet, athletic, or artistic, new to faith or have been around church a while, you have a unique place in God’s family. The Holy Spirit helps us work together, support each other, and grow stronger together!

This kind of unity is not something you can make happen on your own. Only the Holy Spirit can create a community this deep and true. What you can do is spend time with him daily, asking him to transform your heart and help you see yourself and others the way that he does.

Take a look around your group or your church. The Spirit might be inviting you to welcome someone new, to listen to someone’s story, or to see someone in a fresh way. That is what God’s family is meant to look like: everyone needed, everyone valued, everyone loved.

Reflection and Prayer

Ask God to help you see others the way he does. Who is someone different from you that you can honor, include, or love today? Write down one step you will take.

God, thank you for making us your family and giving each person a place to belong. Help me see others through your eyes, and give me the courage to love, include, and honor everyone you bring into my life. Amen.