Prayer Pledge // Day 16

Week Three // O Holy Spirit, Beloved of My Soul

O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You.

Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.

Tell me what I should do; give me Your orders.

I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.

Let me only know Your will. Amen.

Week Three Intention

We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our local communities and dioceses.

Week Three // Day Four

Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.

When it comes to strength and discipline, that is my husband’s area of expertise. He’s got a PhD in Sports Physiology and Performance and is the head of the Exercise Science department at our local college. That being said, I really couldn’t avoid weightlifting if I tried. He doesn’t force it on me by any means, but because we have a relationship and speak with each other on a regular basis (as hopefully all husbands and wives do), the benefits of strength training have osmosized their way into my brain.

What I’ve learned is that it’s much more than throwing heavy things around. It’s an actual science.

There are times to lift heavy. There are times to lift light. There are days to add more weight as you go. There are days to decrease weight as you go. There are days when specific muscles are targeted and others are avoided. And there are days of complete rest. Everything is monitored and evaluated. Not following the specified plan will eventually result in injury. So will ignoring cues from your strength coach.

Knowing this has completely changed my mindset when I ask for strength from the Holy Spirit.

Before meeting my husband, when I asked the Holy Spirit for strength, I expected a surge of power. This was probably because I thought I needed to do heavy “spiritual lifting” continually. I pictured Atlas of Greek Mythology, continually holding the weight of the world on my shoulders. “If I only had enough strength…” I’d say to myself, “If I only had enough grace…”

Now I know that strength does not come quickly. Nor does it come from continual heavy lifting. It also comes from rest. It comes from “light days.” It comes from fasting and feasting at the appropriate times. It comes from consistency. It comes from listening to the voice and cues of my spiritual trainer—the Holy Spirit. And it requires attentiveness and devotion on my part.

Evaluate your tendencies, whether you need more time “lifting” or more time “resting” in order to gain spiritual strength.

Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners

How are you hindering your own growth in strength?

Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet

About Grace Bellon

View other posts from the author

Grace is a regular contributor to the BIS Blog. She had planned to be a nurse until an encounter with Christ in Confession ignited a spark that resulted in an ongoing career as a high school Theology teacher. Though a cradle Catholic, she continues to be amazed at the depth of peace and joy that can be found within the Faith and can’t help but share that passion with others as a teacher, writer, and speaker. Outside of ministry, she dabbles in a bit of everything, excels in almost nothing, and like most moms, cannot survive without at least one cup of coffee a day. Grace resides in Charleston, SC with her hunky husband and their daughter who looks just like him. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Grace's posts here.