Last week, we looked at this powerful statement of faith by the two on the road to Emmaus. I asked, “When has your heart burned because of the Holy Spirit’s work within you ?”

I promised this week to share some of my life experiences.

1) One summer night,  after my freshman year of college, I knelt beside my bed to pray. The more I prayed, the more I felt the Spirit’s convicting power. At the same time, I understood His mercy to forgive.

Simple phrases I had heard (and said) all my life, suddenly took on fresh meaning. “God loves me” became personally my statement, not my parents’ or my Sunday School teacher’s, but mine. I felt such a presence of the Holy Spirit that it seemed there was a glow of light in the room.

For some time, I wondered if this had been my salvation experience. I later decided that my eight year-old profession of faith was simple but genuine and that this experience was one of many big steps forward.

2) When Jim and I were serving at a church in music and youth ministry, we had a quiet, talented youth who seemed to have had his own spiritual epiphany. He gave challenges to the youth group and I saw through him the transforming power of the Spirit to produce amazing growth with the whole group. In many moments, our hearts burned within us.

3) We had entered a time of trial with our son. At one point, he had left home. We went to a baseball game where he was scheduled to play, but he didn’t show up. I distinctly remember standing under a tree, disheartened and worried. At that moment, it was as though God blew a verse right into my mind.

…but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

The key word was “wait” and there would be a lot of waiting before we could soar, but the verse warmed my heart. The following Sunday, that verse was on the front of our church bulletin. “Thank you, Lord,” I whispered. Didn’t my heart burn within me at His consistent presence!

4) In these later years, the Lord began dealing with me about writing. One day as I drove down the road, the license plate in front of me said, “Write!” I tried to figure out what form that would take.

Then, when I attended a conference, the small group leader talked about continuing to seek the Lord’s will in our lives. One of her examples was of a friend who ended up writing books. At that moment, a warm sensation began in my legs and moved up through my body. It was as though the Lord took a branding iron and seared the word “Write!” across my heart. I thought immediately of the quote, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us?”

I would love to hear or even share your experience.

~ Joyce ~