Confession time...

Ok - I have not managed the requirements (see right Hand Panel) 1 & 4... and 2 have not been faithfully intentional! and like Gemma - there have been times when I have been in control - and not the Holy Spirit! However - Grace flows and is abundant! Thank you Father that you know every circumstance of our lives - intentions and actions - and there is nothing hidden from You! When we confess our sins you are faithful and just and forgive us!
Now - in my journey through John - I have continued to be surprised by the things I had NOT seen there before - some obvious - like the baptising thing - and Caiaphas prophesying in the year that Jesus died - about his death (John 11)! And a few other things that I wish I had been more disciplined in journalling! (more confession!)

But flowing through individual incidents has been a fresh understanding of Jesus daily life and priorities. I probably held a view that Jesus was intentionally confrontational with Jewish leadership - and I have had a whole overlay on that view - that Jesus just went about His Fathers work - reaching out in love, with healing, teaching, truth - every day!

• Unconditional love in someone else is itself confrontational! It highlights our own lack of love, inadequacy, pettiness, and jealousy.
• Truth is always confrontational. Jesus could not dissemble or avoid truth - because truthfulness was the essence of His being.

As we become more like Jesus we will become more loving and truthful - and be unable to avoid conflict - but we will, as He did, sometimes withdraw - and knowing when to withdraw or stand will be something we need to rely on the Holy Spirits control of our lives to determine.

My parallel journey (with this 8 week one) has been the teaching time in Junior Church - where I have been learning heaps about the Holy Spirit's roles in my life! And recognising when I take back control... I have loved what he is teaching me there too!