Waiting for the Helper
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. (John 16:7)
Do you feel like everything is a struggle and nothing comes easily? Recently, I read something strange about a plane leaving an airport in Rome. Striking ground workers had refused to tow a British Airways jet from the terminal, so it couldn’t take off. So, fifteen passengers got out and pushed the plane back far enough so that it could start its engines and take off. The flight to London ended up losing only one hour.
I can’t imagine an airplane trip like that – where you had to push something that was meant to carry you. But many followers of Jesus feel that they must “push along” their Christian lives when God intended our lives to be “flying” in the power of the Holy Spirit. I can just imagine the passengers pushing a huge jet, straining and groaning all the time – wondering why they couldn’t be relaxing, being carried by the jet instead of pushing it. God wants us to have the kind of real, yielded relationship to His Spirit where we will let Him carry us instead of feeling like we need to “push” Him.
A big part of this is learning how to wait on the Lord. Many people think of “waiting on the Lord” as a passive thing. They think it is like sitting in a doctor’s waiting room until he is ready to see the patient. We imagine that when God gets around to us, then our name will be called! That’s not the right way to think of waiting on the Lord.
Instead of a doctor’s office, think of a restaurant. Waiting on the Lord is more like what a waiter does for a guest at a table. The waiter patiently stands by, seeing if there is any way he can serve or please the person he is waiting on. In this analogy, the believer spends time with God through prayer, worship, reading and meditating on His word. The believer gives God their attention and is ready to serve.
When we give our attention and desire to serve to the Lord in that way, He will guide us, and we won’t have to feel that we are pushing Him at all.
When is the last time you waited before the Lord like a waiter waits on a table? This means seeking God about what He wants for you and paying attention when He shows you how to please Him. There’s no better way to gain God’s strength. Remember, those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
Wait on the Lord and let His wings of His Spirit carry you today!
Click here for David’s commentary on John 16