Have you ever wondered why the Holy Spirit is called our “Comforter”?  He is not called our “Challenger” though He also challenges us to believe. But Jesus made it clear his role is to bring comfort to all God’s children.

The word comfort is derived from the Latin words com meaning “with” and fort meaning “strength.”  That’s exactly who God is-- someone always with us and always ready to give us what is necessary to do his will. He doesn’t expect us to succeed on our own.  He knows it is his job to be with us and to provide us with supernatural help to follow God’s will.

The apostle Paul experienced this and knew how to instruct others so they could experience it too.  Listen to his words in Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

That makes God’s will very clear, doesn’t it?  We are to be living with hearts overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s hope and help.  God wants us to devote every space in our heart to Him, leaving no room for negativity.  That s becomes easier to do once you practice Paul’s teaching and see where embracing hope instead of negativity takes you.

How do we walk that pathway?  Paul made it clear.  Our part is to trust.  And when we do that, we can expect to experience the Holy Spirit’s joy.  Joy is defined as “an emotion evoked by well being or success.” And it’s easy to feel joyful knowing the Holy Spirit always has new blessings to lead us into.

The next thing trusting in God brings us is peace.  Peace is defined as “the absence of war or strife.” I lived many years not at peace with God, and I’ve lived at peace with him now for a long time.  I’ve learned there’s no better way to live than at peace with God because nobody is more for me than Him!

There is a story that demonstrates this truth.  In Acts 16, Paul and his team wanted to successfully plant churches, but they continually fought frustrating battles.

In prayer, the Holy Spirit made it clear that this was because they were taking the wrong path.  They tried to succeed in what is now western Asia, but the Holy Spirit had made it clear that those people wouldn’t be receptive. He told them to go to Macedonia, where they would find people ready to partner in a way enabling success.   And that’s what happened.

That story has helped me significantly in my life. Early on, I was often convinced there was no way.  Other times I was too convinced I knew the way.  But now I know the Holy Spirit always knows the way.  And this year, I pray you will let Him move you out of what burdens you and into God’s blessing!