Life is hard. It is full of pitfalls and pains lurking around every blind corner like traps waiting to snare unsuspecting passersby. And no matter how aware we may be of our surroundings or how deliberate we may be in decision making or how sure we might make every step, from time to time, everyone falls prey to life's cliffs. Fortunately, believers have an advocate and comforter in the Holy Spirit, who is able and willing to help us step out of the mire and to firmly plant our feet on the solid ground.
Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the parakletos, the comforter who comes alongside to help. The Holy Spirit is sent to believers, to help and comfort them in times of need (John 14:15-16). Additionally, the Holy Spirit teaches and guides believers (John 14:25-26). When we become His, through confession of sin and faith in His Son, God sends His Holy Spirit to indwell within us so as to guide us in the way we should go as well as to help us in our times of trouble.
God has also provided the sound counsel of His Word. Paul indicates that Scripture is breathed out by God, by the Holy Spirit, and useful for teaching, reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness in order to equip the man of God for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Practically speaking, this speaks to the necessity for believers to not only be in the Word regularly but also to engage with it by applying Scripture's truth to life in real ways.
Lastly, the Holy Spirit helps us through the Church, the body of Christ. A simple examination of Acts reveals that it was normative and expected for the fellowship of believers to care for each other. We need to rely on the Lord to help us, and He always does. More often than not, though, He helps us through human agents. There are two parts to this equation. Not only do we need to humbly and honestly ask for help from our fellow believers, but we als need to be ready and willing to help others when the opportunity and the compulsion to do so arises.
At the final analysis, God does not leave us helpless. He loves us. Moreover, He, in His omnipotence and omnipresence, is able to help us in every possible situation. For proof of this, a survey of how God helps may serve our good. The writer of Hebrews writes that Jesus, because of His humanity, is able to empathize and help believers when they are tempted (Heb. 2:18). Furthermore, God is our ever-present help, our deliver in times of trouble, our strength and shield, and the bearer of our burdens (Psa. 10:14; 28:7; 33:20; 46:1; 72:12).
Because of this, when we fall off of life's unforeseen precipices, we can and should cry out to God, who is more than able to help pick us up and set us on safely on the track again. More than being merely able, He is willing. This is awesome and beautifully comforting. Praise God that He cares so much for us to help us in our need and distress!
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