When’s the last time you ate dinner without your phone on the table? Or watched TV without mindlessly scrolling through social media? Or when you had a conversation with someone with your phone put away? We’re a generation that’s often distracted, and we’re starting to lose the art of communication – and intimacy. It’s also impacting the time we spend alone with God. Although Jesus didn’t live in a society obsessed with technology, He was in constant demand; the multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. But the Bible tells us, ‘while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where he prayed’ (Mark 1:35 NCV). Jesus made time to be alone with His Father. It requires spiritual discipline to be still and listen, to block out the noise and distractions of life. But if we practise it, we’ll discover a heart-satisfying relationship with the Holy Spirit. In John 14 to 16, we read that Jesus wanted His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they’re never left alone. These are things He wants for us too. But how can we find this peace and comfort? It’s already inside us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Jesus told His disciples, ‘I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever.’ The Holy Spirit is available to and lives inside every true believer, providing everything we need to handle life’s difficulties and opportunities. The Spirit was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He’s ours by faith. So we need to embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace, and follow His guidance.

What Now?

Have a read of John 14-16. Write down any verses that stand out to you.