Adventures in Europe: A Spiritual Reset
Candyce Carden
After a brief stay in Beaune, France, Michael and I headed to Florence, Italy with great anticipation. Our adventure thus far had offered a relaxing pace and wasn’t overly busy. That was about to change.
Our visit to Florence was well-researched and over-planned. We hit the ground running. So much to see and do. We didn’t dare drive the narrow cobblestones streets crowded with autos, cycles, scooters, and pedestrians alike. Instead, we traveled by foot or hustled to catch taxis.
One particular challenging day started extremely early. We found our way to a meeting spot for back-to-back tours of the Academica and then the Uffizi Museums. We arrived early, expecting a pleasant experience. After all, we had “Skip the Line” tickets. But our expectations fizzled when the check-in was unorganized and took forever.
Short on sleep, under-caffeinated, and no food does not a good combination make. Finally, a “guide” lined us up and snaked our group along a sidewalk to tack us onto a line of other groups ahead of us. Then he disappeared. Apparently, our “skip the line” tickets simply meant we avoided the line to buy tickets the morning of.
Once we entered the Academica, we were awe-struck and spent a couple of hours wandering through the various rooms marveling at the great artworks. Unfortunately, the audio tour app provided by our “guides” didn’t work, and we were totally on our own, along with about 2,000 other people.
After more waiting, it was time to enter the Uffizi. When I presented my ticket to the doorkeeper, a miscommunication led me to believe he was barring my entry. I lost it. He bore the brunt of my frustrations of the entire morning.
Once we gained entrance to the museum, we were totally blown away by even more masterpieces. But by now, I was a bit deflated. Ashamed I’d lost self-control with the ticket agent, it was time to push the reset button.
The Holy Spirit’s Tug
I was in Italy, one of the world’s leading fruit producers— grapes, apples, olives, oranges, lemons, pears, apricots, hazelnuts, peaches, cherries, plums, strawberries, and kiwifruits—and I was not producing the fruit of the Spirit this morning.
I turned to God. As He always does, He welcomed me with a spiritual hug. I took a few deep breaths while lingering in His embrace. He calmed my mind and cleared my focus. I had memorized the fruit of the Spirit in order some time ago.
Falteringly, I began: “Holy Spirit, fill me with Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control today and every day (Galatians 5:23-23). I repeated the request a few more times, each time growing more confident in the prayer.
Later, my Bible reading included a portion of Paul’s letters to the church of Thessalonica. One section in particular spoke to me. Under the heading of Christian Conduct, Paul urges the Thessalonians to live out the principles he has already addressed with them regarding their behavior. It’s a concise summary of what our conduct should look like today (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22).
The entire Christian Conduct section warrants a read, but this direct sentence leapt from the page:
“Do not quench the Spirit.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:19 NIV)
Other versions of this verse use the words stifle and extinguish rather than quench. The meaning is clear. We are not to extinguish the influences of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
The three verbs suggest an allusion to fire on an altar. The fire was to be kept burning at all times. Proper care and attention are necessary to keep a fire burning. Likewise, the Holy Spirit must be fed with a fuel supply to keep it active in our soul.[1]
I didn’t start the day by fueling the Spirit with prayer and devotion. I’d prioritized my agenda for the day over my time with God. My grumbling attitude quenched the Spirit, and my behavior contradicted my belief.
Throughout the rest of this amazing trip, I called on God to fill me with a renewed awareness of His presence and love throughout each day. And I took care not to quench the Spirit so I produced and exhibited His fruit.
What strategies work for you when you need a Spiritual reset?
[1] (Barnes Notes on the Bible.)
Thanks for reading! I hope you’ll come back for more of God’s teaching during my visit to France and Italy. I’m thankful for each one of you. I’m also thankful that God goes with us no matter where we are.
Join me in praying for those affected by the recent hurricane activity we’ve experienced here in the United States. If you need our prayers, please drop a request in the comments on email me directly.
Immersed in His Love,
Candyce
Forence is overwhelming ,but so worth the effort!
That’s a great way to put it, Kathy! I can just imagine you in your happy place there.
Candyce, you are not alone. I’ve lost my self-control a time or two or three or four. Then I want to kick myself. But God, in His great mercy, comes to my aid when I call upon Him. We serve a good God. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.
Love your transparency, Candyce. Even on a dream vacation, things often aren’t as rosy as they look on the outside. Stress can take its toll, but our loving Father is always ready with a welcoming embrace. This is what a real relationship with him looks like.
Thanks for your encouragement, Terri. As you wished me last month, God revealed His presence to me throughout this trip!
Candyce, I needed this today as I had a meltdown due to a situation also. Then, as always, I felt the remorse over my actions and repented. I do need to let the fruit of the Spirit be in control ALWAYS! Thanks for sharing your experiences and for the wonderful trip itinerary. I look forward to more adventures.
Thank you Barbara. I appreciate you letting me know that you struggled with something similar recently. Thankfully, our God is full of grace and always forgives us. I think He desires to use these occurrences as teachable moments.