October 15, 2025

And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” – Galatians 4:6

We have all seen failed marriages and successful marriages. Many things contribute to how a marriage succeeds or fails, but I think one of the biggest issues is expectations. Anyone who goes into a marriage expecting romantic moment after romantic moment will always be disappointed. If you think, when things get difficult, that the next big loving experience will bring about new feelings to make everything okay again, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Intimacy grows as we intentionally pursue knowing, serving, and persevering with one another on a day-to-day basis.

We make this same kind of mistake in our relationship with God. We know that God has given us his Holy Spirit to provide all the peace, joy, strength, and encouragement we need. But if we think these things usually come through incredible spiritual highs, we will be disappointed. If you are waiting for some incredible feeling to come along and fix everything that is currently wrong, you are setting yourself up for failure. Some huge “spiritual moment” is not going to put everything right again. Don’t keep chasing after a feeling. So, how does the Holy Spirit provide all we need for life? Through a daily pursuit of the Father through the access that Jesus Christ provides. Seek to know God, be intimate with his Word, please him, and do his work. Then you will see the Spirit providing all the joy, peace, excitement, strength, and comfort you need.

Abba! Father! We long for a relationship with You that goes far beyond temporary spiritual highs. We want to know the depths of Your love and experience the fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Teach us to walk moment by moment with You, pursuing a relationship and not simply a feeling.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon