Daily Devotional for March 28

 

March 28                                                          John 14:15-31

The Subconscious Mind and the Holy Spirit

Have you ever found yourself vowing never to do a certain
thing again, only to find yourself repeating it? Have you even
prayed about it, only to find that you seem to be in bondage?
I certainly have. When confronted by my failure to control
these manifestations of what has been variously termed in the
Christian faith as "doublemindedness," "the war in my
members," or "the old sinful human nature," I have often
berated myself for that failure.

Then I discovered that I was in good company. The Apostle
Paul experienced this same struggle, as do many contemporary
authors. But a noted theologian's commentary that relates well
to today's Scripture shows us how the Holy Spirit can uncover
the roots of these problems, which are hidden deep in the
recesses of our subconscious.

E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist theologian and missionary
to India, had this to say about such problems:

     The area of the work of the Holy Spirit is largely,
     though not entirely, in the realm of the subcon-
     scious. There the Holy Spirit works - purifying,
     redirecting, and dedicating age-long driving in-
     stincts. [The Holy Spirit] refashions the depths of
     [humans] and unifies [them] at the center, so that
     the conscious and the subconscious speak the same
     language, understand each other, drive for the same
     goals, and own a common Lord.¹

In other words, it is the Holy Spirit's job to take care of these
thorny problems. My job is simply to cooperate with the Holy
Spirit. When I do this, I find that eventually I discover the root
of these problems in some early trauma, of which I can then
be healed - and the old habit disappears. What a relief!

     Holy Spirit, make me willing to be cooperative with
           your work in my subconscious mind. Amen.

¹Jones. E. Stanley, Abundant Living (New York. Abingdon Press. 1952). p. 152.

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From The Road to Emmaus - An inclusive devotional Edited by Joseph W. Houle

Emmaus House of Prayer - Washington D.C.