If you look up the phrase ‘absent-minded-professor’, you might see my picture. I praise the Lord He blessed me with the ability for remembering large amounts of biblical information, but somewhere in the process, He didn’t give me the ability of remembering where I put my keys, or my shop tools. Yet, I have learned I can depend on the Holy Spirt in this weakness. Typically, when believers think about the Holy Spirit, they think of powerful events, miracles, spiritual-gifts, regeneration of sinners, etc. On the other hand, another work of the Spirit we can overlook is His concern for the little things in our lives. Several years ago, I felt guilty when I was desperate to locate my car keys and asked the Holy Spirit for help finding them. In little more than a few seconds, I spotted them across the room. Slowly, but still only in desperate situations, I began asking the Spirit for help. It felt strange asking the third person of the Trinity for help locating something as insignificant as a key or a tool. I have seen Him answer my request so often that now I don’t think twice, I just ask. Most of the time, He either helps me remember where I put something or I will see what I was looking for.
Let me start by saying I’m not trivializing the all-powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Instead, I hope you can also see His desire to help us in the totality of our life—large and small. Life is filled with more small challenges, minor events, everyday problems, etc. than with immense difficulties, crisis circumstances, or catastrophe incidents. Christians immediately call out to God when they are in the midst of an emergency. Believers should realize He is just as ready and willing to help us in the smallest portions of life.
The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. Much confusion has occurred concerning the Holy Spirit, which has never been God’s intent. God is not a God of confusion but of peace, (1 Co 14:33). Satan brings about confusion because he knows the importance of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. In Jesus’ last discourse before His crucifixion, He promised the disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans” (Joh 14:18). “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever (Joh 14:16). The word translated Helper also means advocate, comforter, or intercessor. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so He would help, comfort, and intercede for believers. Jesus helped the disciples in their smallest and greatest needs while He was with them. Now the Holy Spirit is within us providing the same help—if we allow Him.
The first step in receiving His help is realizing He is a person, He lives within us, we can develop a relationship with Him, and He desires to help in every aspect of our daily life. Second, I’ve heard two statements from several people recently that points out a hindrance in believer’s growing in their relationship with the Spirt. “I’ve never felt the Holy Spirit” and “I’ve never had the Holy Spirit speak to me.” In their understanding of feeling and speaking, neither have I. We don’t feel the Holy Spirit with one of our five physical senses. However, call it a spiritual sense for lack of a better term; we can know with deep assurance of His presence. Sometimes this awareness is greater than other times and sometimes it is an act of faith based on the promise He is with you forever.
Some claim He speaks to them in an audible voice. I’m not saying the Holy Spirit can’t, but it has never happened to me. Yet, He speaks to me almost every day. As we grow in Christ, our understanding of how the Spirit communicates increases. Human communication takes place in multiple ways: voice, writing, gestures, visual, touch, facial expressions, tone of voice; naming a few. The major ways He speaks comes through the Bible. He can bring a scripture to our mind, or illuminate a verse we are reading. He puts thoughts into our mind and gives peace that this is from Him. He speaks through sermons and lessons. He can speak through events in our life. Jesus spoke without saying a word when Peter caught a great quantity of fish. After an unsuccessful night of fishing, Jesus said to them, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luk 5:4, 6, 8)! This communicated to Peter showing him that Jesus was the Christ and He was God.
Another hindrance people have against asking the Holy Spirit for help with the little things is pride. “Oh! I can take care of this myself.” Maybe you can, but it is so much easier to let God take care of all our needs. The Lord designed man for dependency on Him. Paul said, And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). Note what he didn’t say; part of your needs or just your big needs but he said all your needs—big and small.
Sustaining Word for the Week: God receives glory when we depend on Him to take care of all our needs—even the smallest. The Holy Spirit knows where your lost keys are—have you asked for His help?