“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” (John 14:16)
Remember dinner without mobile phones, voice mail, texts, and brain overload? Friends and family enjoying each other’s company, uninterrupted by technology? We’re a generation that’s losing the art of communication and intimacy — and it’s impacting the time we spend alone with God.
Although Jesus preceded the high-tech age, He was in constant demand; multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. Nevertheless, the Scriptures tell us: “A great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jesus made time to be alone with His Father.
It requires spiritual discipline to eliminate life’s noise and racket and be still and listen. But if you practice it, you will discover a heart-satisfying intimacy and fellowship with God. Invest a few minutes reading John, Chapters 14-16, and let your spirit absorb Jesus’ message. Notice, He wants His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they are never left alone. These are blessings He wants you to share too.
So, how can you find this peace and comfort? Answer: “It’s an inside job,” because the Holy Spirit lives in you. Jesus told His disciples, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” It may be Christianity’s best-kept secret, that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer and is available to provide everything we need to handle life’s difficulties. The Comforter was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He is ours by faith. Embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace, and follow His unfailing guidance.
Prayer
Lord, I ask that bring Your presence, in the Holy Spirit, to calm my life and strengthen my faith in You and Your promises. The chaos around me is too strong for me to resist on my own, and I need Your help and Your mercy to make it through the day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike