Listening to The Holy Spirit

I have been thinking about Sue lately. I knew that she was struggling with something and I kept putting off contacting her. I thought multiple times of sending her a card. I had coffee with our associate pastor and asked him to check-in on her.

I was expecting to see her at a March meeting but she wasn't present. I asked if she called to say she wasn't coming. No. I discreetly asked our associate pastor if he had contacted her. No.

I told both people that I would call her and left the meeting thinking, "I should not push my responsibility on to someone else."

Sometimes I'm such a dope.

I sent an email asking her to coffee on Saturday and she said yes! I brought a devotional book for her to borrow, a bookmark listing The Fruit of the Spirit, and a metal cross with the word "Hope" engraved on the back. I handed her the book to thumb through while I was ordering my hot chocolate. (No, I don't drink coffee. Some might call it a character flaw yet how can coffee compare to hot chocolate with whipped cream?)

We had a wonderful visit yet it was painful to hear her question where God was during this stressful season of her life. At one point during our conversation, Sue said that she felt there was no hope, which reminded me of the cross I brought for her. I dug it out of my bag and pressed it into her hand. First the beautiful scroll-worked side up, then turned it over to show her the engraved word "Hope" on the other side. There was a small card that came with the cross which said, "Hope will sustain us with whatever comes our way."

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them -- the Lord, who remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146:3-6

I believe The Holy Spirit is hard at work within me. I am listening Lord. Please guide me to do Your will and help me to be a good and hope-filled friend for Sue. Our hope in You will sustain us. Amen.

Have you had any experience listening to The Holy Spirit? What have you heard?