There’s a famous story told by Mr. Rogers. He described seeing some bad things on TV, as a child, and when he did, his mom said, “Look for the helpers. Always look for those who are helping.”
That struck me. I think about it often. It reminds me of this verse.
So, we say with confidence, “The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6
The other day while walking through memories during healing prayer, I suddenly had a realization. Something that I had never noticed before.
I was recounting one after another difficult memory. I was thinking that I hadn’t really had many people around to help me, then I began to notice in my recounting that there had often been a helper. Someone, seemingly random, would be there to help me or protect me or to speak up for me.
It revolutionized the way I began to process these different events.
I wonder what might change in your life, if you retraced your difficult memories, and looked for the helpers. Those helpers, I am convinced, are being prompted by our true Helper. Holy Spirit.
That’s what we are really looking for in the hard moments.
Where is Holy Spirit? How is Holy Spirit working to protect, direct, and comfort?
People always say, “If God exists then why do bad things happen?” Well, the answer is obvious to those who know Him, free will. He gives us free will. A cherished and wonderful gift. A great responsibility that we avoid looking at directly. We love that we have it, but then still like to blame God for the result.
I wish people would ask instead, “What good was happening around me…what evidence of Holy Spirit was there in this difficult situation?”
Always look for God. Always look for the evidence of goodness, even if you can’t imagine finding it.
One thing I’ve learned, one thing I’ve noticed…is that in every circumstance, if I search hard enough, I will find a golden thread woven through it.
Look for the Helper.
“Now I am going to Him Who sent me, yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you.” John 16:5-15
365 Days in the Presence 