But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you (John 16:12-14).

Been watching any Winter Olympics lately?

If writing devotionals was an Olympic sport, I wouldn’t make the team. If you lined up all the best devotional writers in the world, I’m confident no coach would pick me for their gold medal team.

The good news? Writing devotionals is not an Olympic sport.  No one is handing out gold medals.  And while I have amazing mentors and teammates, they’re not timing or judging me every week so I can earn a spot on the team.

When Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, he’s promising more than a coach.  He’s not assigning someone to judge them, or to hang a gold medal on their necks when they succeed, or discipline them when they fail.  Jesus knows that the task he’s going to give the disciples before he leaves will require tremendous spiritual support.  Jesus knows that even though he’ll be gone, the disciples will still need him.

And that’s the gift of the Holy Spirit: Jesus with us and in us by his Spirit.  Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as an advocate and the Spirit of Truth.  The Holy Spirit is a direct connection to Jesus, even though Jesus has left this Earth.  The Holy Spirit is there to teach, to testify, to remind, and to guide the disciples in remembering Jesus and all that he taught them. The Holy Spirit is a direct conduit to Jesus, and all things that come through the Spirit come from Jesus.

Jesus commissioned the apostles to start the church, a movement that would eventually spread to all corners of the earth. Jesus has the same vision for us. We are the church, and our mission is to spread the Gospel everywhere.  All of us.  The Holy Spirit isn’t just sent to the “best”.  It isn’t for those who are capable of earning a “gold medal” in evangelism.  We are all part of the movement empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

I’ve found a part of this movement in these devotionals.  I’m not writing these to be “the best”, but in hope that through my connection with the Holy Spirit my words can help others learn, grow, and mature in their own faith journey with Jesus.   I would not have picked me, yet through the power of the Holy Spirit, here I am.

Spreading the Gospel is not an Olympic sport. Push aside feelings about what’s good enough, big enough, or important enough.  Instead focus on how the Holy Spirit is reaching out to you to be part of Jesus’s plan in his own special way.