Seeking the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: A Daily Invitation

This is the second post in a three-part series on the Holy Spirit. Read the first post here and the third post here.

The life and ministry of Jesus were saturated with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ anointing by the Holy Spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament.

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1).

Jesus was teaching us through His own example to build and develop our own relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The prophet Isaiah wrote about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, ones that the coming Messiah would have in full:

"The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord." // Isaiah 11:2-3

The number seven symbolically speaks of fullness, completeness. In following Jesus’ example, we should strive to receive and exercise these Gifts in our daily lives:

Wisdom is the grace of being able to see everything with the eyes of God.
Understanding empowers our minds to grasp revealed truths.
Counsel empowers us to choose and act successfully in concrete situations in communion with God, according to the logic of Jesus and His Gospel.
Knowledge is a special gift, which leads us to grasp, through creation, the greatness and love of God and his profound relationship with every creature.
Fortitude is inspired courage in the service of God
Piety indicates our belonging to God and our profound relationship with Him, a bond that gives meaning to our life and keeps us sound, in communion with Him.
Fear of the Lord is abandonment in the goodness of our Father, Who loves us so much.

A Daily Invitation

Every day we face circumstances where we wish we had someone walking beside us. As a wife and mom these are my everyday moments:

It’s a chaotic morning as we scurry around the house trying to get ready, a morning where everyone needs me and we’re running late.
It’s the end of a jam-packed weekend and the clutter and mess of the house are at their peak; I’m exhausted.
It’s the end of a workday and bedtime routines seem to be never ending: a plea for one more story, one more glass of water, and a stuffed animal that we haven’t seen in days.

These moments are a chance to dive deeper into relationship with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to move and work. The Spirit himself is “the gift of God” par excellence (see John 4:10), the greatest gift. And the Holy Spirit wants to pour out spiritual gifts to us.

In these moments when overwhelm, exhaustion, or frustration want to take hold, I’m learning to take a deep breath and cry out to the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit, grant me the gift of Fortitude.

Pope Francis taught us, “We need not think that the gift of fortitude is necessary only on some occasions or in particular situations. This gift must constitute the tenor of our Christian life, in the ordinary daily routine. As I said, we need to be strong every day of our lives, to carry forward our life, our family, our faith.”

Diving Deeper

One gift that is often misunderstood is the gift of Fear of the Lord. Despite the name, this gift has nothing to do with being afraid. In fact, it’s the opposite and is complete trust in God, like that of a child’s trust in their parents.

Pope Francis taught us that the gift of Fear of the Lord is “To open the heart, so that the goodness and mercy of God may come to us. This is what the Holy Spirit does through the gift of fear of the Lord: he opens hearts. The heart opens so that forgiveness, mercy, goodness and the caress of the Father may come to us, for as children we are infinitely loved.”

Personally, I feel this is one gift that I need to grow in greatly. I’m regularly praying for an increased ability to surrender and to be little in the arms of our loving Father. My independence and goal-oriented personality often feel like they get in the way of this. One place that helps me become more receptive to the gifts of the Holy Spirit is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

It can be hard to sit still and especially to sit in quiet. I am usually filling my prayer time with more talking than listening. However, when I enter in Adoration I am struck by the loving gaze of our Lord. During Adoration, I imagine myself on a bench on a warm, sunny day. I think of the feeling of the radiating warmth of the sun dancing across my skin, instilling peace and calm in me. In a similar way, during Adoration, the Son wants us to sit peacefully and feel His warmth; He wants us to sit in His loving gaze and open our hearts to His goodness.

Moments for Grace

With the beauty of God’s creation all around us, the gift of Knowledge is one that can feel more approachable or familiar. A sunset, the view from a mountain top, or crashing waves at the beach are grand ways we may experience this gift, but it doesn’t have to be reserved for these big moments.

During the spring on my regular drive home, there is one random spot on the side of the road that has the most beautiful wildflowers. Pockets of color burst out of an overlooked patch of grass tucked behind the guardrail on the side of the road. I can easily look past this but when I’m open to receiving this gift I’m struck with wonder for the beauty of God’s creation. Consider as you head out for a walk in your neighborhood, asking the Holy Spirit for the gift of Knowledge and to experience God through creation in a new way.

Known by Name

When we know and understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to ask the Holy Spirit for them by name. There is power in knowing things by name, and seeking the gifts of the Holy Spirit by name widens the channel in which He can work in our lives.

As you think about your life, what is one area in which you are needing support? What gift of the Holy Spirit could help your situation? Consider saying a prayer to the Holy Spirit asking for an outpouring of this gift.

Rachel Clouser is a wife, mother of three young children, and full-time marketing executive living in Portland, Oregon. She’s continually seeking God’s grace in the rhythm of work and family life. She loves baking, getting lost in a good book, and exploring the outdoors with her kids. She finds peace in Adoration and feels especially close to the Lord in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.