Charismatic

What aspect of the charismatic tradition resonated with you, and how could it continue to be part of your spiritual journey?

It is interesting to me that the Charismatic movement is the movement that seems to follow the Holy Spirit more than others and the word Charismatic has Charis in it, which is grace. When you look up Charismatic though the current definition doesn’t mention grace. But it is interesting to me that grace is the undergirding for this movement that looks to the involvement of the Spirit to lead and guide the members.

And that is what resonates with me from this class, the moving of the Spirit. We get so caught up as Lutherans about doing things the right way and sometimes stifling the Spirit. We are so caught up in making sure we are showing good practice and not seeming like we are just off on a whim. And sometimes we need to give up good practice and follow where the Spirit is leading.

We had a discussion about baptism and the coming of the Spirit and if that happens during water baptism or some other time. Our service from the ELW seems to say that when we place the mark of the cross on the forehead of the person being baptized at that moment that is when the Spirit comes, and honestly, I can say that that happens, but I am also very overwhelmed by the power that places through me. I believe that the Spirit comes when the Spirit comes and no words will make the Spirit do anything. Now, when we ask for the Spirit to be present God is present, but that is not telling God what to do, that is inviting God into our midst. But saying that we control the Spirit in baptism is overwhelming for me.

But on that note, I want to follow the leading and guiding the spirit more. I follow the guidance of the Spirit when moving calls, and other big decisions but there needs to be a following of the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis. I feel like as Lutherans we push the Spirit aside and do not follow the guidance of God because it doesn’t seem to be good orthopraxy. I need to be more open to the flowing of God. I know that God moves us and works through us. I have said several times and believe that God’s will will be done through us or in spite of us. But that doesn’t mean I follow the guidance of the Spirit.

Maybe if all of us actually followed the Spirit and do what the guidance is what would the world be like? Would peace really reign?

This would be the piece that I would like to incorporate more into my life. To let go of my control and allow God to actually have the control that I say God does. Can I let God actually have control? This is something that is really scary because we want to always have control, but ultimately we do not. Even though we want to make it seem we do have control.