When I had my first baby, Sarah, my mom came to town. Sarah was born three weeks early so no one was there for the birth. Mike worked at UPS and he went to work the next day. (Times sure have changed!) UPS sent him out of state for two weeks a few days later. Because Sarah was breech, I had had an emergency C-section so I could not drive for two weeks. Mom was with me and it was like playing dolls. I loved every part of it! I loved having Mom there but was ready to do it myself! Fast forward two and a half years when Ivey was born. To be sure not to miss the birth, Mom was there a week early and Ivey came a few days before her due date. Mom was such a help! Mike was working nights at UPS so I got up to nurse every two hours and got up with my two year old in the mornings and tried to keep things quiet. People say nap when your baby naps but that was the only time to get things done. I was overwhelmed when Mom mentioned going home. I went in my bathroom and bawled like a baby, having a complete meltdown. How could I make it without my helper?
That was not the only time in my life that I have felt the need for help. We all need help whether it has to do with school, work, raising children, taking care of grandparents or parents, a project, something we feel God is calling us to do, etc. Recently my pastor, Barry, shared some good news with us in a sermon. John 14: 16, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever..." Pastor Barry said when we read this verse out loud to insert our name. "And I will ask the Father, and he will give Jill another advocate to help Jill and be with Jill forever!" I love that. Try using your name. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give _______another advocate to help _________ and be with _______forever!"
John 14: 17 goes on to say, "the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit. He knew He would ascend back to His Father. His Father would send the Spirit, who Jesus called the Helper. The Spirit would live in them. God's children would become individual temples of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."
As Pastor Barry said we have an Advocate, Helper, Comforter, Counselor, Companion, Intercessor, etc! I don't know if or when I will think of this first before I start to stress and then think of it as a last resort. The Spirit is for us. He is waiting to open doors for us to help us grow in Him. He empowers us. He encourages us. I believe this when I cannot give up on something or feel constant nudgings on something. Sometimes I am reminded of the many times before that God was faithful beyond belief. I believe our conscious is the Holy Spirit. We know when we hear, "don't say it, don't do it"!
The Spirit lives within us. He is ready to help us just as Jesus did with His disciples. “The Holy Spirit will always point people to the finish work of Jesus”. John Paul Warren