And a river went forth from Eden to water the whole garden, and from there it divided and became four branches. The name of the first is Pishon. It is the one that goes around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
— Genesis 2:10-11a
Pishon flows around the land of Havilah, which in Hebrew means “causing growth.” When we experience the flow of the Spirit, we should realize that this free flow is for our growth, not just for an enjoyable experience. Are we experiencing the flow? We should check with ourselves as to whether we have been growing. If we have been growing spiritually, we must have been experiencing the divine flow. If we cannot point to any experience of growth, then we should not assume that we have been in the flow simply because we use the term.
Suppose I check with a brother as to whether or not he has been in the divine flow by asking him about his growth in life. If he tells me that he is more drawn to Christ, that he has begun to shepherd others, that the things of the world are dropping away, that he loves the Bible more, and that he has begun to know himself in the Lord’s light, then I would say these are strong proofs that he has been experiencing the flow of the divine life. Such matters reveal that this brother has been growing. Oh, how happy we should be that God operates as a river! It is as a free-flowing river that He causes us to grow, making us the land of Havilah.
Adapted from The Reality of the Divine Stream, page 11.
Tomorrow: “Choosing the Lord Above Others”