Life happens in peaks and valleys. Some weeks leave us feeling victorious, while others drag us through canyons of difficulty. But here’s the challenging question: when you’re walking through your valley, are you thanking God for it? That’s where the rubber meets the road in our faith journey.

As we approach seasons of thanksgiving and reflection, we’re often quick to acknowledge Jesus as our Savior and God as our Father. But there’s a third person of the Trinity who has become what many would call a “forgotten friend”—the Holy Spirit.

The Condition of Love

Scripture presents us with a straightforward condition: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Notice the certainty in that statement—not “you might” or “if you feel like it,” but “you will.” This isn’t about earning salvation through works; it’s about the natural overflow of genuine love.

Think about it in human terms. When you truly love someone, you demonstrate that love through action. You don’t just say the words; you show up. You sacrifice. You prioritize. If someone claimed to love you but consistently ignored your requests, dismissed your presence, and lived as though you didn’t exist, would you believe their profession of love?

Many believers today wear Christian t-shirts, carry Bibles, and attend services regularly, yet their lives don’t reflect obedience to Christ’s commands. They’ll walk past someone in need without a second thought. They’ll hoard their leftovers while someone holds a sign saying “will work for food.” They’ll claim to love Jesus while feeding their flesh with entertainment, attitudes, and behaviors that grieve the Holy Spirit.

The truth is uncomfortable but necessary: if we’re not keeping His commandments, we don’t love Him as much as we claim.

The Promise of Another

In John 14:16-17, Jesus makes an incredible promise: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.”

That word “another” is significant. It means “one exactly like the one who’s speaking.” Jesus wasn’t sending a lesser version or a spiritual force. He was sending someone with the same nature, the same power, the same love—the Holy Spirit, who is fully God.

Yet somehow, the church has relegated the Holy Spirit to the background. We study Him like a subject in school rather than getting to know Him as a person. We’re comfortable with Jesus and God the Father, but the Holy Spirit? He’s become the forgotten friend we once knew but pushed aside when we got too busy or too comfortable with religious performance.

The Helper Who Never Leaves

The Holy Spirit was sent as our Helper—not to force us into obedience, but to guide us, teach us, convict us, and reveal truth to us. He’s the answer key to life’s test, confirming God’s will through Scripture, through other believers, and through that still, small voice within.

Unlike earthly relationships that end at death, the Holy Spirit’s presence is forever. When you said “I do” to Jesus, you entered an eternal relationship. The Holy Spirit doesn’t leave when things get hard. He doesn’t abandon you in your darkest moments. He’s there in your tears and your triumphs, in your failures and your victories.

The problem is that we’ve learned to quiet Him. We’ve put Him in our back pocket, muffling His voice so we can do what we want without conviction. We’ve taken the One who saved us and pushed Him aside, unwilling to let Him control our lives.

Feeding the Right Nature

Here’s a fundamental truth: you’re made up of two parts—flesh and spirit. The one you feed the most will grow the most.

If you feed your flesh with worldly entertainment, toxic relationships, and self-centered pursuits, your flesh will dominate. The Holy Spirit will still be present, but you won’t hear Him over the noise of your fleshly desires.

But if you feed your spirit—through Scripture, worship, fellowship, prayer, and obedience—the Holy Spirit will grow stronger in your life. He’ll take control not by force, but because you’ve relinquished control to Him.

Your eye gates and ear gates matter. What you watch and what you listen to feeds one nature or the other. The world understands this principle even if the church has forgotten it. That’s why secular culture works so hard to infiltrate entertainment with messages that feed the flesh, especially targeting children.

The Spirit of Truth

The Holy Spirit will never contradict Scripture. Ever. He is the Spirit of truth, and truth doesn’t change based on feelings or circumstances.

When someone claims “the Holy Spirit told me” to do something that dishonors parents, breaks biblical commands, or contradicts God’s character, you can be certain it wasn’t the Holy Spirit speaking. Test the spirits. Know the Word. The enemy also whispers, but his voice will never align with Scripture.

The world cannot understand the Holy Spirit because they don’t know Him. To them, the idea of Someone living inside you, guiding your decisions and transforming your character, is foolishness. But you know Him—or at least, you should.

Rekindling the Friendship

Today is a good day to restart your friendship with the Holy Spirit. Stop treating Him like an “it” or a force. He’s a Person—the third person of the Trinity, fully God, deserving of your reverence, attention, and obedience.

Stop dismissing His promptings as indigestion or feelings. Start listening. Start obeying. Start allowing Him to control more of your life.

The church doesn’t need more programs or better performances. It needs believers who are so filled with the Holy Spirit that Jesus overflows from their lives naturally. It needs disciples who do life together, feeding the spirit man instead of the flesh.

Jesus is coming back soon. The signs are all around us. When He returns, will He find you walking in step with the Holy Spirit, or will you be one of the many who claimed to know Him but lived as though He didn’t exist?

Your forgotten friend is waiting. He’s been there all along, patient and gentle, ready to help you become everything God created you to be. The question is: will you finally let Him?