The sunflower is known for its ability to follow the sun and we are the same, but we are sons-flowers who keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus. Serving Jesus is not just to reach perfection in heaven but should affect the quality of our daily lives. The quality of our lives depends on staying vulnerable to the Holy Spirit. Vulnerability, or being open and honest, is not a weakness, but rather a strength because pretending to be something you are not, is a trap which not only limits our freedom in Christ, but also gives the enemy control over us. We can also place ourselves in a place of slavery to a false image which we maintain to make up for our failures and feelings of insecurity. To obtain freedom from this bondage, and to have change wrought inside of us, we need several things. By the grace of God through the Holy Spirit, we need to have a contrite spirit and a surrendered, submissive, and mouldable heart. It is good to also share that which burdens you with a trustworthy person. The grace we receive from the Holy Spirit is what enables us to change and that restores excitement in our walk with God. The Spirit is always in us, but it is our responsibility to give him our attention and thereby activate the grace and faith that we need. It takes making a single-minded decision to believe God, to be vulnerable to him, and accept his help in whatever area of our lives we need change. It is important to maintain the right attitude while we are on this journey of growing and maturing with the Holy Spirit. The right attitude will determine the length of a trial, as well as the measure of victory at the end of it.
