Question:
How do we know when we receive the Holy Spirit?
Answer:
My brothers and I discovered something as we got older. There’s a little bit of Dad in us. Each time we catch ourselves using one of his gestures, expressions, or comments about a meal, we say, “I’m getting more like Dad!” When we are confirmed, we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There is no radical change in us that makes us seem suddenly different. Over a period of time we come to see that there is a little bit of the Spirit in us. We catch ourselves using the gifts, and often end up wondering where a bit of wisdom came from, why we were so patient, or we feel an intensity in our prayer. Perhaps we felt drawn to deepen our spiritual life or found courage in witnessing to our faith. That’s when we know we have received the Holy Spirit. We take on his image. Yes, we grow in age, grace, and wisdom, but we also grow in our awareness and understanding of the working of God in our life—we realize we’re getting more and more like God. Our thoughts, words, and actions carry that quality and others also see it in us. You might call it holiness. But be confident—there’s a little bit of God in all of us!
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