“The best way to think about the Holy Spirit and growth is to think about a moment-by-moment relationship of dependency on him. We depend on him to guide us, lead us, talk to us, reveal truth to us, empower us to do what we can’t do, give us gifts to be able to give to others what they need, and many other things. But all this happens in an ‘abiding’ sort of way. We yield to him and follow. We open up our hearts and beings to be ‘filled’ with him. We ask him to invade all that we are and to work in us. In a sense, we give ourselves to him as we live out the life of growth” (Cloud and Townsend, How People Grow, 99).
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I like this quote by Cloud and Townsend. While it is not necessarily true that this is “the best way [or the only way I might add] to think about the Holy Spirit and growth,” I do think this is an essential way of understanding our relationship with the Spirit of God in our daily walk with God as Christians.
I acknowledge that Christians have various perspectives about the work of the Holy Spirit and what that looks like in people’s lives. It is important to keep in mind that Christians, throughout the ages and accross cultures, have experienced the Holy Spirit in many different ways. As a result, Christian spirituality is expressed differently within various streams of Christianity.
In regards to diversity on matters of theology and spirituality, let us listen to the words of Paul in his writing to the church: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:2-6).