Born of The Spirit
Consider this. A basic human need for many is certainty. And in our pursuit of certainty, it’s common to create it ourselves. This can take many forms– an exact morning routine, a specific breakfast or lunch, a familiar drive to or from a location, a steadfast workout routine– you get the point. I like to call these ‘certain certainties’. These are the moments of certainty in our days that we manufacture ourselves. And while there can be some benefits to this level of planning and specificity, where do we draw the line? In our quest for certainty, are we becoming homogenized in a negative way?
Let’s look more closely at what we do to feel certainty. We’re quick to call these things routines and habits. But if we’re honest, could they be called something more? Ceremonies? Rites? Rituals, even? Those words carry a bit more weight, don’t they? So how do we know if we’ve taken our need for self-made certainty too far? Well, answer this honestly: when one of your ‘certain certainties’ is disrupted, how bent out of shape do you get? Does it ruin your morning? Your entire day?
John 3:8 tells us that “The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” You are born of the Spirit.
There’s nothing wrong with having a plan, a process, or a routine. But always let it be a ‘current best approach’ never ‘the way things have to be.’ The only sacred, unquestioned habit I want to possess is to choose to let Yawheh speak to me anytime– even when I’m in the midst of my own plans. That’s true certainty.