The Quench
Quench not the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19
Quench:
1a: PUT OUT, EXTINGUISH
b: to put out the light or fire of
c: to cool (something, such as heated metal) suddenly by immersion (as in oil or water)
d: to cause to lose heat or warmth
I have developed a new hobby lately. Forging knives. Now, I know I’m a woman, and not “supposed” to be into these kind of “guy” activities, but I love the idea of it. I love creating anything, and to create something out of metal, well, that just sounds so cool. We’ll see with time if I’m any good at it.
When you’re working steel, you heat it up to very high temperatures in order to make it malleable and easier to move into different shapes. You don’t quite make it liquid, but it bends with less force and is easily shaped. Once you get it to the shape you want it, you heat it up again and then submerge it in a liquid to cool it quickly. This cooling or quenching of the metal creates a hardness that is easy to sharpen. The danger of quenching is that, if done improperly, the metal can become brittle and can fracture and break easily. So, instead of creating a strong and dependable blade able to cut but also remain flexible to the wielder, a weak and unusable tool is the outcome. A blade that while sharp, could shatter under the least pressure.
.If we consider that the Holy Spirit is often referred to in scripture in terms that suggest fire or heat. It’s easy to imagine how our own quenching or quieting of His work in us can actually weaken us and make us of lesser use. I believe we are to be malleable, to allow God to shape us into whatever He wants. We are to be constantly in communication with our Father, reading His word, and listening to the leading of His Spirit within us. That’s easy to say, and easy to write, but putting it into action is not always that simple. Our human minds rebel at the idea of allowing anyone or anything else to dictate our lives. An improperly quenched blade can be corrected, but it requires a lot more work. It must be completely reheated and re-quenched correctly. The same can be said for our relationship with our Heavenly Father. On the other hand, if we stay close to the Lord, or “on Fire”, we stay in tune to the Holy Spirit and God’s desire for our life.
1 Thessalonians 5 gives us a number of important and familiar directions about how to live our Christian lives in a way that is pleasing to our Father, each one of them could become a lesson all on their own: Rejoice evermore; Pray without ceasing; In everything give thanks; and many more. This letter is a treasure of instruction for those with the heart to hear it. Conversely, in Hebrews 3, we see a warning against hardening our hearts. We’re reminded that the children of Israel hardened their hearts in the wilderness: Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. (Hebrews 3:8-9) I believe that each time we say no to the Holy Spirit as it prompts us, we harden our hearts a tiny bit. Over time it will become easier and easier to ignore, and soon we will only remember when we used to feel moved by the Spirit.
Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit isn’t always easy for us. Even as someone who has been following Christ for a number of years, I still struggle with it. Most often, it’s when I’m called out of my comfort zone and asked to stretch myself in His service. Recently, I found myself struggling with an urge to give testimony. At one point, I realized I was physically shaking my head no in response to my pounding heart. In the back of my mind a verse repeated itself, “Quench not the Spirit.” As I sat later and pondered why I choose the wrong road so often when asked to speak for my Savior, I went over the verse again and again. In fact, even now weeks later, it bugs me that I failed my Lord. Not because I feel like He’s holding it against me after I’ve asked forgiveness, but because I want to understand why it is such a problem for me, and look for ways to be more obedient in my service to Him. After some study and thought, I began to consider the word “quench.” It broke my heart to see the ramifications of continuing to rebel against His desire for my life.
We are clearly directed to submit ourselves to the Lord in all things. If we stay close to the Lord, or “on Fire”, we stay in tune to the Holy Spirit and God’s desire for our life. If we continually quench the Holy Spirit, we will become cold and hardened to His desires for our lives. Hardening our hearts to God doesn’t make God happy and can even bring about His wrath. Each day, perhaps even each hour you have a distinct choice to make: Am I going to submit myself to the leadership of my Savior and Lord, or am I going to choose to quiet His Holy voice within me, and continue to go my own way?
