The Ever-Reminding Advocate
- Brooke Singleton
- Jul 24, 2024
- 3 min read
“That day He reminded me it’s the Lord's wisdom alone that is able to lead us, without guilt and shame, toward the goal of being like Jesus in our mothering.”
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
Jesus himself said it would be better for us for His physical presence to leave, and for the Spirit of God to indwell us. That in itself should speak volumes to not just the benefit of having the Holy Spirit’s presence, but to how He sees our desperate need of Him.
And so I find motherhood. Us moms desperately need the Holy Spirit's voice to speak clearer than any other voice we consume. It was years in to my parenting that I picked up another parenting book, started to feel the usual sense of failure about how I didn’t measure up to its beautiful ideals, when the Lord spoke clearly.
“Stop Brooke. You only need MY voice”, He said to me.
You see, I love books and value other's insight, but I was going to those books for guidance and the measure of my parenting. That day He reminded me it’s the Lord's wisdom alone that is able to lead us, without guilt and shame, toward the goal of being like Jesus in our mothering.
Jesus, in this verse, promises His disciples that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things that we need to know and remind us of everything He said. The one parenting book I need to read is the Bible. The Spirit of God will remind me of what I’ve read and enable me to put it into practice. No other book can do that. I found for myself that eventually those parenting books put a burdensome yoke around my neck, a burden that was not easy or light, like Jesus promises of His own.
Perhaps we turn to other sources, thinking it feels easier to pick up a tangible book with rave reviews and psychology based in measured statistics. It feels easier than finding a moment to quiet ourselves, pour out our shortcomings, and trust the Lord to answer. But the Spirit's closeness and leading is the design God has for our lives. His desire is to dwell inside us mommas, and live out of us as an example of grace and power.
Get in the Word, even a verse at a time, and ask for God's leading and the Spirit’s wisdom, and trust that He will give it.
Action Steps:
Write down a scripture each week. Maybe a verse about parenting, or about God as a Father, or one on God's grace to His children. Read the scripture over each day until it is familiar to your heart, and then allow the Spirit to remind you of the truth when you need to hear it again.
Listen to “More than Able” by Elevation Worship
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that of all the things You could have been, You are love and faithfulness and power. Thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus that brings us new life. No matter where we are in our walk with You or in our parenting, I pray that You would help us to trust that You are for us and that You speak through Your Holy Spirit You gifted to us. Help us to remember that You don’t need to fill the silence with words like we do, but if something needs to be said, You’ll say it. Help us to trust that all we need for life and godliness is in Your Word, just like Timothy reminds us. You are precious, Father, and we are so thankful for Your Spirit's leading. In Jesus’ faithful name.
Written by Brooke, Spirit-led mom of 3
