I still have many things to say to you

....  but you cannot bear them now.  However, when the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth (John 16:12, 13).  I taught Math at the University for 42 years. About half way through,  they introduced student-prof evaluations. I would have found them very difficult had they done that  earlier. I knew the students either loved me or hated me.  And for the fist half of my career I was not secure enough to receive criticism, constructive or otherwise that would have come from the latter group.  Part of that,  was that I had receive too much destructive criticism in my life.  Another part,  was that I had not yet learned to care more about what God though of me,  than what others did.  Towards the end however, as I became more secure in God's love and acceptance,  I was able to learn from the  course evaluations, and was able laugh at some of the more outlandish ones. I was learning my identity in Christ, a son of the living God.

In the beginning then, I was exactly where the disciples were. It is a common malady, and I know what Jesus meant.  Perhaps you do too! Verse 13 tells us what they were not able to bear, endure or tolerate (from the Greek), it was truth. The Holy Spirit would guide them into  all truth,  and He will guide us too,  if we cooperate with Him. “All truth” encompass a lot of truth.  Part of it  (but only part), is “truth as  personal excellence;  unreserved, honesty of mind which is free from affectation, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit,  sincerity of mind and integrity of character, it is a mode of life in harmony with divine truth” (Thayer, the Greek Lexicon). To continue in this truth, meditating on it, growing in it, obeying it,  this truth is what Jesus promises will progressively set us free (John 8:31,32).

It is not easy, but Holy Spirit is a wonderful teacher, and as I say, He will teach us if we cooperate with Him.  I have found that many times He waits to be gracious to us,  to show mercy and compassion on us (Isaiah 30:18).  But there are times when He will discipline us for “For whom the LORD loves He chastens.”  And although “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:6, 11). It is a question of being teachable or not, being eager to learn, or being dull of hearing (Hebrews 5:11).  One of the symptoms of this latter state,  is being stuck, not growing. At such times He may wait to be gracious to us until we are sick and tired,  of being sick and tired. At other time we may not be  willing to let the Lord deal with something that needs to be dealt with. In such cases He may well discipline us, or send a brother a sister to confront us (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1).

Father, as for me, I would rather hear truth from You,  than from others. For this reason Lord I am asking almost daily for You to search my heart to see if there be any wicked way within me. Lord Help me to be,  and to stay teachable Lord, and to continue in Your Word so that I might truly be Your disciple (learner),  in Jesus Name Amen.