“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17 NKJV).
Do you have trouble asking for help? I do. I always have. But I’m trying to do better. I’m learning that help is there for the asking, if only we would ask.
I’ve also had trouble with taking time off. It’s not that I don’t need time off. I do. But I always feel that I’m getting behind or dropping the ball somewhere when I’m not at work.
The first three years of our church I was so consumed with the work that I didn’t take our family on a single vacation. I thought if I just worked harder and harder, then we would succeed (Whatever “success” means when you’re planting a church).
This week Robin and I have enjoyed taking a few days away in Williamsburg, Virginia. One of the dear families in our church insisted that we take a week of their time share and get away. As usual, I didn’t want to do it.
“It’s your time share. Don’t you want to take it yourselves?” I asked.
“No. We really can’t. We’ve already taken too much time off this year. And if we don’t use the week, we lose it. Besides, we really want you to take it.” They insisted.
So, we received their gift. And I’m glad we did. At least, I got glad after a couple of days of being in Williamsburg. I’m still learning to rest and receive.
When Jesus was about to leave the disciples to face crucifixion, the grave, the resurrection and ascension, he spent a lot of time preparing them for his departure. He wanted them to know that he would not leave them without help. He told them that he was going to give them the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to be with them and to live in them forever.
The disciples learned how to depend on the Helper just as they had depended on Christ. They didn’t turn the world upside down with their self-effort. They worked out of a place of rest. Their effort was the result of their abiding in Christ and His Spirit abiding in them.
Today, I’m thankful for the help of friends. I’m even more thankful that I’m learning to lean on the Helper that Jesus has given to all of us as believers. I’m learning that the best results in life come out of not my own self-effort, but out of my abiding (resting, leaning) on Him.
It always makes me happy to see you going out “into the world”. Your friend may have unknowingly sent you out on one of God’s adventures… Our brother Oswald says, “The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend” and that man is brought to the mount with God so that afterwards he may get down among the devil-possessed and lift them up. Radical thinking for a man born in 1874.