“The Holy Spirit is the kind of energy that is capable of being there, of understanding, of accepting, of loving, and of healing.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

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Support my ministry by purchasing the songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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John 16:7

“For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

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Jesus told his followers that when he was gone, he would send to them the Advocate, which we also call the Holy Spirit.

In the absence of the physical presence of Jesus of Nazareth, the presence of his Spirit would be unleashed.

This would be far more powerful because this Spirit would then be able to enflame far more people to continue the work of Jesus.

Jesus went on to say that the Advocate, literally helper, would convict the world in regard to condemnation, “Because the ruler of this world has been condemned” (John 16:11).

And who is the ruler of this world?

In my opinion, it is the spirit of greed: greed for power, prestige, and possessions.

Our egos love this spirit because the ego wants all of that in order to create an identity.

That identity, in the words of Thomas Merton, is a false self:

“Every one of us is shadowed by an illusory person: a false self. This is the man I want myself to be but who cannot exist, because God does not know anything about him. And to be unknown of God is altogether too much privacy. My false and private self is the one who wants to exist outside the reach of God’s will and God’s love—outside of reality and outside of life. And such a self cannot help but be an illusion” (New Seeds of Contemplation).

But all the power, prestige, and possessions of the false self will disintegrate upon physical death.

Merton goes on to say, “And when they are gone there will be nothing left of me but my own nakedness and emptiness and hollowness, to tell me that I am my own mistake.”

Ouch.

Don’t wait for this jarring reality to hit you on your death bed.

Allow all those trappings of the false self to fall away now.

See them for what they are: finite and passing.

(Some form of meditation such as Centering Prayer is a great practice in letting go.)

Use any power, prestige, or possessions that you have for the greater good.

But let go of any identification or attachment to them.

Allow your true self to rise.

Discover who you are!

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Listen to the song of the day “Listen to Your Heart” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!