Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Bible in a Year: Isaiah 1-3 | Matthew 24

It’s easy to measure our spiritual life by how we feel in the moment. Some days feel full of peace and clarity, like God is undeniably near. Other days feel scattered, emotional, or heavy, leaving us wondering: “Where did he go?” 

But what if we’ve been asking the wrong question all along? 

In John 14:26, Jesus reminds us of a deeper truth about God’s presence: 

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” 

Notice what he doesn’t say. He doesn’t promise that we will always feel the Spirit. He promises that the Spirit will work by teaching, reminding, and guiding.

The Holy Spirit is not absent in your emotional moments. He is often most active there. 

When emotions rise, whether from frustration, insecurity, or conviction, it can feel like you’re being thrown off course. But those moments may actually be evidence that God is drawing you closer, not pushing you further away. 

The shift comes when we stop asking, “Do I feel the Spirit?” and start asking, “What fruit is the Spirit producing in me right now?”

Are you becoming more aware of sin that once didn’t bother you? That’s the Spirit. 

Are your habits slowly changing, even if imperfectly? That’s the Spirit. 

Are you pausing before reacting, choosing patience when it doesn’t come naturally, or feeling conviction where you once felt numb? That’s the Spirit. 

Growth doesn’t always feel peaceful. Sometimes it feels like stretching, refining, even discomfort. But that doesn’t mean you’re off track, it may mean you’re being transformed. 

The Holy Spirit works beneath the surface, shaping your heart in ways that emotions can’t always measure. He is forming Christlike character in you: steady, intentional, and deeply personal. 

So next time your emotions feel overwhelming or unclear, don’t let that convince you that God is distant. Look closer. Pay attention to the fruit. The Spirit is still teaching you, still reminding you, still working within you … right in the middle of it all. 

That quiet, steady transformation? That’s the evidence of his presence. 

Questions: 
What evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work can you identify in your life right now?

Is there an area where you’ve become more aware of sin or conviction recently? 

What would change if you focused more on fruit rather than feelings?

Next Steps: 
Listen to the song “Evidence” by Josh Baldwin. 

Write down one recent emotional moment and ask yourself, “What might the Holy Spirit have been doing in me?” 

When emotions feel overwhelming this week, pause and remind yourself: God is still working, even here. 

Prayer: 
Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Even when my emotions feel overwhelming or uncertain, help me trust that you are still at work within me. Open my eyes to see the fruit you are producing in my life: conviction, growth, and a heart becoming more like Christ. Teach me to rely less on what I feel and more on what you are doing beneath the surface. Shape my thoughts, my habits, and my reactions so they reflect you. Help me to trust your steady work in every season. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:
Ephesians 1:5
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

This post was written by Heaven Nash, a Findlay attendee and a new contributor to the Daily LivingItOut devotional.