Holy Spirit Super Power

“Now we have received … the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NRSV)

What is your superpower?

Invisibility? Flying? Time travel?

How about: An amazing ability to bite your tongue at family gatherings. An all-too-rare knack for not hitting “reply all” on group emails. Empathy for your enemies. The godly willingness to let your children make their own mistakes, and to love them all the while. The mature grace not to laugh at your parents’ attempts to be cool. The selfless skill of listening. The flair for putting panicked people at ease. A limitless capacity for forgiveness. The undervalued art of bringing together different kinds of people.

I know what you might be thinking: that you don’t have a real superpower.

Oh, but you do, beloved. You have the very best superpower of all:

The Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God is a spirit of power. The power of grace. The power of transformation. The power to restore what was broken, to dream, to live and work in community. The power to choose solidarity over privilege, and understanding over judgment. The power to open doors and build bridges. The power of new life. The power of peace.

The superpower of love.

Granted, these powers may not play as well on the big screen as those wielded by the Avengers. But they are powers nonetheless—super and holy and real, and given freely to us all.

How will you use your superpower today?

Prayer

Super Holy One, thank you for giving me the Spirit of power. May I use it to your glory. 

About the Author
Vicki Kemper is the Pastor of First Congregational, UCC, of Amherst, Massachusetts.