{"id":244,"date":"2026-05-13T08:12:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/?p=244"},"modified":"2026-05-13T08:12:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:12:06","slug":"may-13-2026-755-am","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/?p=244","title":{"rendered":"May 13, 2026, 7:55 AM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Holy Spirit:<\/em> You\u2019ve often said \u201cstop\u201d. \u201cStop thinking that\u201d, \u201cstop feeling that\u201d, \u201cstop wanting that\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you wonder why you feel suppressed<\/em>. Self-control, if it is contrary to peace, to joy, to gentleness, is not my self-control<\/em>. If a supposed \u201cexpression of my fruit\u201d wounds another, it isn\u2019t mine<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My self-control comes with joy. It comes with peace. It is gentle<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-control is the power to choose<\/strong><\/em>. Your culture often says \u201cyou lack self-control\u201d if someone does something unwise<\/strong><\/em>. That may be right, or they may lack wisdom, and you are trying to make up for a lack of wisdom with SHAME<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My fruit will only come with my work<\/em>. You cannot \u201cwill yourself\u201d into Holy Spirit power. You have to let me do it<\/em>. That often involves teaching, counseling<\/strong><\/em>, correction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have felt you wanted to be \u201cbad\u201d, when the reality is, you wanted to know these four things:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. That love for you was truly unconditional.<\/strong> How can you test that without testing the conditions? However, rather than trying to force my hand to prove it, ask me to show you in ways you UNDERSTAND<\/strong><\/em>. You were often taught \u201cGod\u2019s love is too great, you can\u2019t understand it\u201d. This is accurate, but misleading: \u201cwe love because he first loved us\u201d, because WE HAVE HAD AN EXPERIENCE OF HIS LOVE<\/em>. My love must be real<\/em>, which often means an expression that is far simpler and relatable than what I have already done. It is counterintuitive to people, but you see it play out in a family with children: \u201cYou don\u2019t love me!\u201d when told \u201cno\u201d to ice cream, despite having a home, having a future, having love<\/em>. Trying to convince people \u201cGod did all this, so you should understand how much he loves you!\u201d<\/em> is the same as telling a four-year-old \u201cyour parents paid for your clothing, your housing, and are planning out a way for you to have a great future<\/em>, you should understand how much they love you!\u201d It\u2019s generally beyond what they can understand. I\u2019m wise enough not to take offense. Please let me show you<\/em>, instead of trying to shame yourself<\/em> into knowing how much I love you. I cannot convince you I love you with shame<\/em>, because shame involves fear, involves torment, discourages connection<\/strong><\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. That you could ask questions.<\/strong> You can ask me about anything. I won\u2019t get mad<\/em>. I won\u2019t hide the truth. I won\u2019t tell you everything<\/em>, but I can tell you why I won\u2019t tell you everything<\/strong>. You tend to withhold questions <\/em>unless you think they\u2019ll help you behave<\/strong><\/em>. I don\u2019t want our relationship to be based on behavior, but to be based in connection<\/strong><\/em>. Connection invites questions. Ask me anything. Do you think little children ask \u201cwhy?\u201d too much? Adults ask me \u201cwhy?\u201d all the time, except they don\u2019t ask, they complain<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. That you could break from cultural norms<\/strong>. You\u2019d better. \u201cBe in the world, but not of the world\u201d. Yes, connect with people authentically, and be aware of their culture<\/strong><\/em>. Going into another culture<\/em>, and disrespecting it, isn\u2019t what I am referring to<\/em>. I am referring to living in your own culture and feeling ashamed for anything counter-cultural.<\/strong><\/em> Ifyou can\u2019t be a little weird, you\u2019ll utterly fail at what I\u2019ve called you into. Cultural norms are not ethical standards<\/em>. Your culture generally denies it has one, and touts it as \u201cproper\u201d or \u201cgood-mannered\u201d or \u201ccommon sense\u201d. You are allowed to break from cultural norm. Culturally accepted shame is not acceptable to me. I want you free from culturally accepted shame, AND TO NOT SHOW FAVORITISM BASED ON CULTURAL VALUES<\/strong><\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. How secure you truly are<\/strong>. If you can\u2019t have even one cookie without destroying your body, your body is not very healthy<\/em>. If you can\u2019t take even one hour to rest, your finances are not very healthy<\/em>. If you can\u2019t take even one extra day to reply, your relationships are not very healthy<\/em>. You need to understand that wiggle room is part of living<\/strong><\/em>. Your culture is fast-paced. Others are more fast-paced, absolutely\u2014and others less<\/em>. Your culture values \u201cnow\u201d over \u201cgood\u201d in most cases. Which can be a strength\u2014rapid building, creating a foundation for something truly grand\u2014or a weakness\u2014shaky foundation under an attempt at grandeur<\/em>. You imagine a health bar, like you\u2019re playing a videogame, and oh no, it\u2019s at 99 out of 100! Better heal up. You don\u2019t have a health bar, and you aren\u2019t leveling up<\/strong><\/em>. You have health, and you are growing, and while it takes steps, you don\u2019t push for 4 months and then leap up a level, YOU GROW A LITTLE EACH DAY<\/strong><\/em>. Feeling out your borders is part of security<\/strong><\/em>. You think it is bad<\/em>. The only bad thing is, you are extremely insecure<\/em>, and I want to heal you of that.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Joshua:<\/em> I think that\u2019s all correct, but I also\u2026 I also used to get called a goody-two shoes. And it felt like people discounted my opinions because of that. My opinion didn\u2019t matter, because I was discountable<\/em> because I wasn\u2019t\u2026 I don\u2019t really know? \u201cOpen\u201d enough?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I had friends who labeled me as \u201clawful good\u201d and then if I wanted to do something they didn\u2019t, or vice-versa, it seemed like it was used as grounds for dismissal. Like I didn\u2019t have a worthwhile opinion, I was just another voice to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holy Spirit:<\/em> Joshua, my response to that is straightforward. If your opinion was truly discounted, why did you stay?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Joshua:<\/em> \u2026Because I wanted to be accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holy Spirit:<\/em> (nods) Joshua, being a goody-two shoes can take many forms. One is to the law; another is to authority; another is to peer pressure<\/em>. Accusations like that are often saying \u201cplease move your flaw into my camp\u201d. Which isn\u2019t actually freeing<\/em>, it\u2019s just manipulative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Good friends would say\u2014whether or not they believe they are in the right\u2014\u201cI disagree, but I care about you more than the disagreement. What do you need right now? I need X, but if you need Y, I want to figure out how we can make this work\u201d. Mutual respect<\/em><\/strong> is required<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Joshua:<\/em> What did I do to cause all that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holy Spirit:<\/em> Nothing. You are not responsible for what they said. You are responsible for what you said<\/em>, but not for their response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Joshua:<\/em> Why do I want to be accepted? I\u2019ve always been told \u201cyou care too much what people think\u201d. And I don\u2019t know how to turn that off<\/em>. Other than self-suppression, which just results in explosion<\/em>, which, is, frankly, like, unhelpful<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u2026Okay, that wasn\u2019t actually that frank. Self-suppression has destroyed my life more than any sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holy Spirit:<\/em> Joshua, self-suppression is sin<\/strong><\/em>. \u201cSo whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.\u201d Your self-suppression was most often an attempt to ignore a good thing to do so that you would avoid the shame being piled on you for doing it<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There is certainly maturity that needs to happen in this process\u2014you can know the right thing to do, and do it poorly<\/strong><\/em>. Okay. What\u2019s wrong with that? It\u2019s almost like you need a Wonderful Counselor for some reason<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Joshua:<\/em> (I laugh) I mean\u2026 I recognize now that I didn\u2019t know your voice well when I was younger, and I followed all the wrong rules I was given in an attempt to<\/em> follow what you wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holy Spirit:<\/em> (nods) So basically, you just acknowledged that you didn\u2019t do the right thing, and when you did, you did it poorly<\/em>. Again: that\u2019s why I\u2019m here<\/em>. I love you, and I want to be near you, and I want to help you<\/em>. No strings attached. It\u2019s not \u201cJesus paid it all, then the Holy Spirit came so we could get back in debt\u201d. No strings attached<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I won\u2019t help you do unhealthy things<\/em>, but I also won\u2019t tell you \u201cyou\u2019ve overdrawn, come back when you\u2019ve got more of Jesus\u2019s blood\u201d. You\u2019re covered<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Joshua:<\/em> So, back to a different question: why do I want to be accepted?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Holy Spirit: <\/em>(smiling) You were made to accepted and delighted in by God. You were made to be in union with him. God\u2019s first practice with Adam and Eve was to walk with them<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People are made in the image and likeness of God. So when you see someone, you sense how they reflect him. And you crave that acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why it stings so much when a human being doesn\u2019t accept you: the image and likeness of God just told you \u201cI don\u2019t accept you\u201d, even though God himself accepts you<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When you feel that sting, ask \u201cwhat is it that I see in them that I need to know wants a relationship with me?<\/strong>\u201d It may be their strength. It may be their mischief, their vulnerability, their courage<\/em>. But regardless, if they reject you<\/em>, you can come to me. Jesus was confident in the Father, which meant he could withstand men\u2019s rejection<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People want a relationship with the entirety of who God is, and you can see the image and likeness in each other<\/em>. I want people in relationship with each other, but I always want a relationship with you too: I won\u2019t leave you empty<\/em>. Just as you are commanded to love me completely, I love you completely<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Holy Spirit: You\u2019ve often said \u201cstop\u201d. \u201cStop thinking that\u201d, \u201cstop feeling that\u201d, \u201cstop wanting that\u201d. And you wonder why you feel suppressed. Self-control, if it is contrary to peace, to joy, to gentleness, is not my self-control. If a supposed \u201cexpression of my fruit\u201d wounds another, it isn\u2019t mine. My self-control comes with joy. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-journal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=244"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":245,"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244\/revisions\/245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todaygodtaughtme.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}