Jesus: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.” John 14:16
Jesus knew that his time on earth was coming to an end and because he deeply cared for his disciples, he spent time preparing them for what was lying ahead (Jn.13:33; Jn.15:29). He was returning to his Father in heaven but assured the disciples that he was going to ask his Father to give them another counselor in his place. This advocate, the Holy Spirit, would live in their innermost beings and continue the work of Father God and Jesus in our lives. There have been times in my Christian life when I was not able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or feel his presence. I was tempted to doubt Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever.
Maybe I just wasn’t good enough? I didn’t know that I can bring sorrow to God’s Spirit by the way I live … holding on to anger, hurts, not forgiving from my heart those who had sinned against me. Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church (Eph.4:30) encouraged me to forgive others and accept God’s plan for my life, to trust and to love Him.
I have been wondering whether we at St John’s have grieved the Holy Spirit by the way we have dealt with or neglected to deal with our differences?
Let's Pray...
Will you join me in asking God to show us any actions, attitudes and words in our community that have brought sorrow to His heart?
Let us spend time with Him, listening for His voice.
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