“It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you.” (John 16:7)
Expanded Passage: John 16:5-11
When our kitchen sink started leaking, I took it upon myself to wedge the wrench onto the closely packed nuts, twisting and pulling in the tight, dark cabinet. The more I clanged on the pipes, the more I broke. After several hours of this, I asked my wife to try her hand at it. Within a few minutes, she’d fixed everything. As it turns out, I had all the help I needed right there. I just didn’t take notice of her or trust in her abilities until I failed.
God is far more present among us than we realize, offering us help that we may easily overlook. When Jesus physically left his disciples, he moved closer to them through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This stretches the faith of his followers today, as we are challenged to believe that the Spirit is actively at work in the world all around us, convicting the world of sin and empowering disciples. The gift of the Spirit is easy to ignore, but through the Spirit, Jesus is better than present; he is within us.
We may have significant challenges before us, but Jesus is present through the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us. Jesus is always with us, but we will miss out on his strength if we ignore his offer to help us.
Ask the Spirit to empower you to fix something you’ve broken.
Ed C. previously served as a Light from the Word devotional writer.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
