Words by Amber Palmer | Illustrations by Marie Warner Preston
Have you ever felt alone? Let down by someone who was meant to be on your team? Be encouraged: God foresaw the brokenness of our human relationships and provided the best helper of all, our ezer, the Holy Spirit.
As the words, “I do,” came from my mouth, I couldn’t help but feel complete as I held my new husband’s hand in my own. After years of walking on this earth alone, waiting for ‘the one,’ God had blessed me with a soulmate to call mine. A peace came over me knowing I was never going to be alone again. I would always have a companion to do life with—a forever helper, someone I could lean on and trust.
When God brought Adam to life from mere dust, He knew Adam shouldn’t be alone. The animals that roamed around the earth and in the sky wouldn’t make the best companions; he needed a “helper fit for him” (2:18 ESV). I have read these words many times before, but this go-round they held a bigger picture, an aha moment I couldn’t shake. When I read aloud the word ‘helper,’ the words of the Holy Spirit filled my heart. God knew not even Adam’s helper, Eve, would complete him in every way or be everything he needed. As Moses scribed the word ‘helper,’ ezer, meaning God’s strength, protection, help and rescuing, God was already looking ahead to Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, our ultimate Helper.
In John 14:26, Jesus shares with His disciples, “‘But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you’” (NASB). The Greek word for ‘Helper’ in this verse, parakletos, means ‘one who is called to one’s side, especially to help.’ It is used to describe someone who intercedes and advocates on behalf of another, one who consoles and comforts. The Holy Spirit provides the best helpmeet. He is a helper perfectly fit for you and me. The most beautiful part is that He comes not only to dwell with us, but also within us so we can always be together. Just as God did in the Garden of Eden, He made a way so we would never have to be alone again.
It was wishful thinking on the part of my young newlywed heart to think one person alone could complete and fulfil me in every way. No human relationship can do that. While we are designed for and must pursue community, the reality is we will fail each other one way or another. We will all fall short and mess up. Sometimes we are part of the pain others experience on this side of Heaven as we sift through our own selfish desires; other times we are on the receiving end and find ourselves disappointed when expectations are not met or our minds are not read. The pain of feeling alone, hurt, and unworthy can be too much to endure at times.
I’m grateful God foresaw the brokenness of our human relationships and provided the best helper of all, the Holy Spirit. He will never let us down, turn His back on us, or deem us not good enough to love. Rather, He will always champion us, deepen our faith, provide protection, bring comfort, and strengthen us for whatever comes our way so that our lives can bear the fruit God intended. In Him, we have been blessed with a true and lasting gift from God; He is the suitable helper our hearts have been longing for.
Where in your life are you looking to people to meet a need that only God can fulfil? What might it look like for you to turn to the Holy Spirit for help in that place today?