He Will Convict

It is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. . . . When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:7-8, 13

AS PARENTS WE HAVE LOTS OF ROLES and responsibilities in the lives of our children. We’re meant to provide for and protect them, to teach and train them toward godliness. But sometimes we slip back into thinking that it is up to us to bring about the change they need. We act as if it is solely our responsibility to point out what they should and should not do. We argue as if it is up to us to convince them of what is true. Sometimes our earnest desire to help usurps the role of the Helper. Sometimes our loving inclination to guide usurps the role of the Spirit of Truth. Sometimes we act as if it is our job to be the Holy Spirit in their lives.

We were never meant to be the Holy Spirit to them. In fact, we can’t be. Instead we are meant to trust that the Holy Spirit will do his work of comforting, convicting, teaching, and guiding in their lives.

We are people in need of the Holy Spirit ourselves. We need the Spirit to comfort us and convict us of our own sin. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth. We need the Holy Spirit to pray for us when we don’t have the will or the words. And we desperately need the Holy Spirit to empower us to stay quiet when we should not speak. Certainly we can encourage, exhort, and even admonish, but only the Holy Spirit can generate genuine spiritual life where there is deadness. Only the Holy Spirit can instill a desire for the things of God in the hearts of our children.

Lord, I officially resign from seeking to be the Holy Spirit in ________’s life. I want to honor you by believing and trusting that you are at work. The same Spirit that hovered over creation and brought forth life and light and beauty is able to hover over ________’s life and bring forth life and light and beauty.