Comforter in You - Sunday, November 29 (Advent 2020)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 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. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:16-18

We can feel alone, even in a large family. We may feel overlooked by those we love, whether parents, siblings, or spouse. We miss those who have left us, in death or broken relationships. During the holiday season, many people struggle with depression and anxiety leaving them feeling even more alone. But we are never alone.

In John 14:16, Jesus says, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth.” Jesus goes on to say in verse 17, “But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit, who is also referred to as the Comforter. As we trust and believe what Jesus says in these verses, we are not alone.

When you are feeling like no one loves you, no one is there for you, everyone has abandoned you, remember what Jesus promised: the Comforter will be “in you.”

Every morning, before I start the day, I get up early before anyone else in the house wakes up, (if you live by yourself then you can do this at any time). I get my Bible and place it on a table. I get two chairs, one for me and one for the Holy Spirit. I invite Jesus to have a seat with me while I pray and talk to Him. Sometimes, I cry and let Him know how much I am hurting and how I feel alone. The hardest part for me is to just sit and listen to hear the still small voice of our creator, God our Father.

I pour out my heart to Him, and He lets me know He is always with me!

Jesus said, “I will be with you until the end of the age.” Jesus said it, and it is true!

If this season is hard for you, I invite you, the next time you feel alone, to find a quiet time to be with Jesus. Grab a chair and invite Him to be with you because He already is!

Dear Jesus, thank you for being with me and coming to sit at my table and listen whenever I need you. Please be with those who need you most during this season. Help us also to remember to be a listening ear to those who are hurting. In Your name, Amen.

Rev. Rick McCafferty (Inupiaq)
Director of National Healing Programs