Grateful for Guidance | Devotion

Do you like going camping? I know I sure do!

Here’s another question: Have you ever been camping with your family, and the only way to find where you’re going is by listening to the sound of a parent’s voice? That sounds a little more challenging, doesn’t it?

When you’re in the woods—especially at night—there are all kinds of other sounds. You might hear squirrels hopping from tree to tree, owls cooing, leaves rustling in the wind, or tree limbs cracking. It can be distracting. If it’s dark and you’re trying to find your way, it’s easy to get caught up in all those noises instead of focusing on the one voice that can actually help you reach your destination.

Now imagine you didn’t have the security of your parent’s voice. You’d be wandering in the dark, changing direction every time you heard a new sound—probably walking until sunrise without ever finding your way. But thank goodness your parent’s voice is louder and more familiar than all the noise around you. You know you can trust it. You can be grateful for their guidance. They know the way, and they’re here to help you find it.

This reminds me of a moment in Jesus’s ministry that we’ll read about in John 16:5–15. In this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that He will soon go away. But He promises that, after He leaves, God will send an Advocate—the Holy Spirit, also called the Spirit of Truth.

Why is this such good news? Because it means Jesus could be with everyone who believes in Him all at once—not just the people right in front of Him. How amazing is that?

Jesus says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the 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” (John 16:13).

That means the Holy Spirit is personal. He speaks to every believer and guides us to the truth about who Jesus is and why He came to earth. The Holy Spirit also helps us use the gifts God has given us—things like wisdom, dreams, visions, or insight—to point others to Jesus.

As Thanksgiving approaches, take time as a family to remember this: the Holy Spirit is with you. His guidance is a gift, and that’s something to be truly grateful for. How might God be calling you to use your gifts to help others?

Grateful for Guidance | Family Devotion Questions:

1. What is a really hard situation that you have gone through this year? How did you make it through?

2. What are some ways you can be paying attention for the Holy Spirit to guide you?

3. Who are some influences in your life you can ask how the Holy Spirit has moved in their life?

4. What is something you’re grateful for this Thanksgiving?