“and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever.” John 14:16 (CJB)
“Where are you going?” This could be asked by a small child watching his mother grab her purse and head for the door.
“Where are you going?” says a questioning father as the teen with a new driver’s license snatches a set of keys.
Where are you going? ask the eyes of a puppy seeing you pull out your suitcase … again.
This question can be asked calmly with confidence, or it can be filled with anxiety and insecurity.
In John 13:36, Peter asked Jesus before His crucifixion, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus’ answer may have left him a bit anxious: “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow later” (CJB).
That evening, Jesus had delivered scary news to His followers: He would soon leave the earth. The disciples had given up everything for this man, the One they believed to be the Messiah, the Son of God … and now He was leaving?
Then, in the middle of that heavy conversation, Jesus also gave this promise: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever” (John 14:16).
Yes, Jesus was leaving the earth, but His promise of the Holy Spirit on that uncertain night offered calm and confidence to the disciples’ souls. They didn’t have to wonder about this Spirit who Jesus said the Father would send. The comforting Counselor, the Spirit of Truth, would be like Jesus Himself!
The Bible teaches us about one God who exists in three unified Persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. Yet many of us, even as Christians, don’t have a full understanding of the Holy Spirit and His role. We may not have been taught to engage with Him each day like we do our heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus.
Yet the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives is so beneficial that Jesus said, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the comforting Counselor will not come to you” (John 16:7, CJB). He also said the Holy Spirit guides us into truth, receiving revelation from Jesus and the Father and giving it to us (John 16:15). As the Holy Spirit abides in us and we respond to Him, our lives become filled with the evidence of His presence: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
As we approach Pentecost, when the Christian Church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, let’s consider:
Are we welcoming this gift of the comforting Counselor, the Spirit of Truth, into our lives each day? Are we inviting the Holy Spirit to come and give us the power we need to live as disciples of Jesus?
Jesus, thank You for giving believers the gift of the Holy Spirit. Help me to be aware of the Spirit’s presence in me and with me throughout the day. I ask for the power and comfort He brings as I live my life in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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The disciples experienced much uncertainty in the days that followed Jesus’ death and burial — and even after His resurrection and ascension back to heaven. Surely knowing the Truth of Scripture helped them, and it can help us, in times of uncertainty. Click here to download “Ten Scriptures to Hang onto When Life is Uncertain.”
John 16:15, “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you” (NIV).
Tomorrow, on Pentecost Sunday, we encourage you to look up and read about how Jesus’ apostles encountered the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:4-8 and Acts 2:1-13. As you do, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how He wants you to encounter Him today.
Write out Galatians 5:22-23, praying that the fruit of the Spirit would be evident in your life.
We’d love to hear from you! Share with us in the comments.
© 2026 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.
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