Recently my wife brought a few diet Pepsi in from the garage that were frozen on the inside. We learned the hard way why labels on cans often say "Contents under pressure." After a few short moments of extreme temperature change the can blew off the top and frozen diet Pepsi was all over our kitchen with some that even made it down the hall way. Thankfully, the half of a can that whizzed by my ear did no real damage except leaving behind a big mess to clean up.
After we cleaned up I thought about the pressure that most people feel with crazy schedules, difficult situations, and the stress of life and how a lot of people feel like "contents under pressure." When things get tough people explode emotionally and relationally.
When times get tough its easy for people to turn to other things and wrong things than turn to God when they feel pressure. When people drink too much, yell too much or go into a fit of anger they are actually trying to deal with or numb pain they are feeling. In times of difficulty it is easy to find comfort in the wrong things.
Thinking about this made me think about Jesus' promise concerning the Holy Spirit:
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;" (John 14:16 KJV)
I love that the Holy Spirit is called the "Comforter." It is a great picture of how God wants to help us in our lives if we will surrender to him. The Greek word for "Comforter" is the word "Paraclete" which literally means "one who comes alongside." I looked up 5 other translations to see how "Paraclete" is translated here is what I found:
NIV: Counselor
NASB: Helper
NLT: Advocate
The Message: Friend
Amplified: Intercessor, strengthener, stand by
Spanish: Consolador (Note the root word "console")
The Holy Spirit was sent to counsel us, to help us, to be our advocate, to be our closest friend, to be our strength, and to be our consoler. When we are under pressure we need to stop and surrender our emotions, our situations, people, whatever it is that is causing us to feel pressure and let him help. We are promised in Scripture:
"But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)...But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence)." (Galatians 5:16, 22-23 AMP)
Here is a great prayer to pray when you are under pressure:
God, teach me to be patient, teach me to go slow,
Teach me how to wait on You when my way I do not know.
Teach me sweet forbearance when things do not go right
So I remain unruffled when others grow uptight.
Teach me how to quiet my racing, rising heart
So I might hear the answer You are trying to impart.
Teach me to let go, dear God, and pray undisturbed until
My heart is filled with inner peace and I learn to know your will.
- written by Helen Steiner Rice
