Ding!

He will guide you into all the truth

Jn 16:13

My car has an annoying ‘ding’. It’s somewhere between a ‘chime’ and a ‘beep’ but neither. And every time it sounds, my heart drops.

The ‘ding’ alerts me that a warning light or message has appeared on my dashboard display. So yes, it’s helpful. But my first thought is always, ‘what’s wrong now?’ Quickly followed by, ‘and how much will that cost me?’

Maybe I could turn it off? I tried. But no, as a safety function it cannot be overridden.

Our spiritual life also has a ‘ding’, an inbuilt warning that something is wrong; an indicator that we are out of line with the values we have chosen to live by as a Christian.

Sometimes we call it our conscience. But a conscience can be educated, so is not necessarily a reliable indicator of what God considers right and wrong unless it has been thoroughly educated by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

Others call it a ‘prompt’ or a ‘nudge’ from the Holy Spirit. He consistently ‘dings’ to alert us when we make poor choices, say inappropriate things or step out of his will. As such, the ‘ding’ of the Holy Spirt is a wonderful guide, protection and blessing.

But a word of warning: you can turn the Holy Spirit’s ‘ding’ down. And if you ignore it consistently, you’ll become deaf to it and be exposed to potential danger.

So, ‘Let the peace of Christ be the controlling factor in your hearts’ (Col 3:15 AMP) and be thankful for his ever-faithful warning ‘ding’.

#lifeisaparable