Led by the SpiritSample

Help from the Holy Spirit

My wayward children, says the Lord, come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.” -Jeremiah 3:22

While my classmates and I used to skip the occasional lecture in university, everyone always made sure to attend Professor Chris’ lecture the week before the year-end exams. That was when he would unfailingly drop big hints about the exam questions he’d set.

I always wondered why he did that, until I realized that Prof. Chris genuinely wanted us to do well. He had high standards, but he would help us meet them. All we had to do was show up and listen so we could prepare properly.

It struck me that God is like that too. God can’t compromise His standards, but because He deeply desires us to be like He is, He’s given us the Holy Spirit to help us meet those standards.

In Jeremiah 3:11-14, God urged unfaithful Israel to acknowledge their guilt and return to Him. But knowing how stubborn and weak they were, He would help them. He promised to cure their “wayward hearts” (v. 22), and He sent shepherds to teach and guide them (v. 15).

How comforting it is to know that no matter how big the sin we’re trapped in or how far we’ve turned from God, He’s ready to heal us of our faithlessness! All we need to do is acknowledge our wrong ways and allow His Holy Spirit to begin changing our hearts.

Leslie Koh

Where do you struggle to follow God faithfully and obediently? How can you ask God to help you by the power and guidance of His Spirit?

Loving God, thank You for Your merciful love that enables me to be holy like You are. Please help me to let Your Spirit heal me of my faithlessness and transform my heart.