One of my texts that I have read this semester is Leonard Sweet’s book, I am a Follower. There are so many takeaways from his book, but I am SO inspired by what He writes about the Holy Spirit and His work in and through us.
As he discusses the work of the Holy Spirit as our “Coach Ghost,” he shares that “the function of the Holy Spirit is to help us turn every corner and face every fork in the road.” This certainly applies to our lives. Life can take us on a journey that can be filled with curves, turns, dead-ends, and forks. I think that the hardest spots for me are the forks in the road. I know that Jeremiah 29:11 is true and that there is a good plan for me and my life. I know that Romans 8:28 is true that all things work together for my good, however there are often forks in the road where I am simply uncertain about which way is the best way. I am so grateful that “Coach Ghost” is right there doing those transitions to show me the way, help me choose and not look back, help me adapt to the changes, and guide me through the transformational moments.
Sweet reminds the reader that “The true meaning of any person’s life story is found not in the destination but in the transitions.”
That thought has brought so much peace to me. Think about it—where is the story in your life? What do you think of when you think of the stories that have impacted you the most? It is all about the transitions—the turns, the starts, the stops, the twists, the setbacks, the comebacks.
God uses story to minister to us and He will use our story, even the ugly parts, to minister to others.
The destinations mean the most when the story and transitions require a move of God and become a beautiful “Ghost story.” Sweet writes, “Every follower’s life, in fact, is a Ghost story, as the Spirit continually leads us where we do not want to go, where we had no intention of traveling.” This is so true!
I think of my life story. The most difficult moments have shifted into the most glorious moments because God took me through paths that I really did not want to go. One example was my divorce. I was literally crushed in my soul. I was devastated. Nothing in my life was left unbroken in its aftermath, except my relationship with God. It was in those very difficult steps on a path that I did not want to ever go down that God did His greatest work in me, my life story, and my ministry.
Sweet gives us a fast-forward to the end of any “Ghost story” that we may walk through. He shares, “Life’s road will take many turns, come to many forks, surprise us with many corners. But the prevailing promise is that Coach Ghost will avail: ‘My God in His lovingkindness shall meet me at every corner.’”
I love this promise.
I remember years ago going through the loss of seven babies. It was a season that was one of my most difficult seasons of my life. During one of the losses, I kept running across Bible passages that had the word lovingkindness in them. It began to almost make me angry to see it again and again. I was thinking to myself, “There is nothing loving or kind about losing my baby.” I wanted to hold my little one in my arms so badly. I knew God well enough to know that He could have come through for me. I was so angry that He wasn’t stopping the losses or the pain I felt in the aftermath. I was angry until I looked up the meaning of lovingkindness.
It gave me promise through its very meaning—it meant that when something bad happened to me or you, we can rest in God’s lovingkindness. His lovingkindness was the part of His character that is unleashed at the very moment that difficulties hit us. It is His compulsion by His very character that has to make it all up to us—all of the pain, sorrow, grief, and disappointment. He sees everything that concerns us and when we suffer, He is unleashed to bring us restoration that is above and beyond where we were or where we could ever be without that struggle. He makes it up to us as only a loving Father can. Sweet reminds us of this beautiful truth. God’s lovingkindness meets us at every corner. It all becomes a beautiful “Ghost story.”
So, today, what are your “Ghost stories?” How many “Ghost stories” can you tell? How has the Holy Spirit been there for you during your transitions? What is the God-story from your transition?
My beloved friend, God loves you so passionately! He is at every corner ready to meet you with His lovingkindness. Run the race. Run into His loving arms and let Him tell you what your story really looks like. It is beautiful!
