A Holy Spirit Hug

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“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

I am not normally a procrastinator. I like deadlines and feel accomplished when I meet them. But this devotional evaded me the way I evade the mosquitos threatening to eat me alive. Every time I tried to write, the words felt flat—empty, without heart.

The truth was, I was walking through the valley of the shadow of death with my dear mom. I had planned to pen this while tucked away in the Sierras at Hume Lake, reveling in God’s beauty. Instead, the ranger and camp host came looking for me with urgent news: there was a family emergency. They set me up with a satellite connection so I could connect with my sister.

Mom had fallen—twice ending up in the ER. She was broken, bruised, and needed more care than her current living situation could provide. I breathed a desperate prayer, made a flurry of phone calls to help arrange care, passed the details to my sister, and returned to camp with a heavy heart.

The hiking, swimming, and exploring felt less inviting. But in that quiet ache, God wrapped His arms around me and whispered: Trust Me.

“Who will take care of Mom?” – Trust Me.

“How will we pay for this?” – Trust Me.

“What about Dad?” – Trust Me.

It was like receiving a Holy Spirit Hug.

“This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” – Psalm 91:2

I had to trust Him for once without jumping in to manage everything myself. With limited communication and hours from home, there was nothing more I could do. And yet, God provided. We arranged a safer place for Mom with 24-hour care.

Weeks later, while helping my dad move out of assisted living, the women who had cared for Mom surrounded me in tears, telling me how much they loved her. One caregiver, who had helped Mom shower, hugged me and whispered through her own tears:

“Your mom was the only one who told me thank you. She always said I was doing a good job. Her encouragement gave me the strength to go care for the others, even when they didn’t want my help.”

Her job was often thankless, but the gratitude of one gave her the courage to serve many.

“God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others… For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. . .” – 2 Corinthians 1:4

We never know how one kind or encouraging word will ripple through the lives of those around us. My mom encouraged Emily. Emily encouraged me. And today, I pray these words encourage you.

Last week, Mom passed into glory. My grief is real, but so is my gratitude. She lived a life filled with the Spirit’s fruit, encouraging others until her very last breath. And in her passing, I felt it once again—God’s embrace, a Holy Spirit hug.

Questions for Reflection:

1. When you need encouragement, do you seek it first from the Ultimate Encourager—God?

2. How has a simple word of encouragement impacted you?

3. How might your words, actions, and prayers encourage those around you today?