Life is difficult. Even if we believe we have a good life, there is still difficulty. We face temptation, and we sometimes lose our way. We face pressure, and we lose our cool. We have high expectations for ourselves or others, and they are not met. While we may not feel persecution quite like the early church did, we are still likely to face discouragement as we try to live out our faith.

Think about the disciples after Jesus was arrested and executed. They were huddled up and discouraged. The shock and pain of the moment resonated, unlike some words that Jesus had shared with them not too long before then.

Jesus speaks about a helper in John 14 and 15. Let not your heart be troubled. Easier said than done. We all face things at some point that are troubling, but when we have help, it takes the burden off. Certainly, we can be sad and upset when certain events happen, but there is a difference between sadness and despair. Despair is when you are overcome by fear or grief and lose hope.

What is this helper that Jesus speaks of? The best kind, one that is a direct line from God. Jesus also calls this the Spirit of Truth. When I think about the spirit in the context that Jesus is speaking of, I think of revelation. Through this spirit, God’s people will receive instruction. We see inspiration to write the gospel accounts like the one we’re gleaning from today, and we’ll see letters from Paul and others that instruct and give order to the church.

I believe the spirit of God will also reveal things to us about ourselves. As Paul instructs us to pray in the Spirit, I believe that this is one way that we get direction from God. As we earnestly seek his will or desire for our lives (beyond the general instruction of scripture), I believe he will reveal it through his Spirit, the helper.

When we face difficulty, we should also be praying in the spirit. This is what we see Jesus modeling in the days leading up to his death. He is earnestly praying for an out but also relying on his father to give him resolve through the Spirit. When Jesus says, “let not your hearts be troubled”, it’s not a matter of resolve; rather, it is a matter of surrender. Allow the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, to guide you through the trouble.