“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” -Ephesians 4:30
I was driving in the car with my two sons to Taekwondo when my oldest son asked me a very important question. He said, “Dad, I am like 99% sure I have the Holy Spirit, but how does one know for sure?”
I answered him back with a subsequent question: “What makes you certain that God’s Spirit dwells within you?”
He said, “Well, I pray to God and think about eternity. I also learn about Jesus when I go to church and when we pray before meals. But I also know that I don’t spend as much time with him as I should because of all the video games I play.”
In my spirit, I could tell my son was wrestling with his identity in Christ. He has made a profession of faith and is involved in church. However, the time he spends playing video games and sports makes him doubt whether his spiritual relationship is genuine.
First, I reassured him that just asking the question is a good sign you care about your spiritual health—which means God is working in you. Next, I said the more time we spend in connection with someone, the more trust and confidence we have in that relationship. Simply put, gaining confidence takes time.
Most importantly, I told him that Scripture teaches nothing can separate believers from the love of God (Rom. 8:38) because they have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:46; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30) until the day of redemption. Thus, when believers repent, get baptized, confess, and believe in the Lord Jesus, God promises to save them (Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:13).
My son agreed. After our serious discussion, the next topic was: “Are goldfish crackers made out of cheese?” This is the life of parenting. In one moment, you are asked a crucial question concerning spiritual matters and in the next conversation you are trying to understand what ingredients are in snacks.
Nevertheless, whether the question is serious or trivial, it still matters that you give an answer. You are to be a caring parent, helping them navigate through the complexities of life by answering their questions with grace and humility. May the Lord help us all gain more confidence in the work of the Holy Spirit as we grow in our Christian faith. Blessings!
Article written by Chad A. Damitz
Conform to Jesus 
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