You Go, Yet You Stay

Reflection Meditation on John 16:5–11

“But now I am going to the one who sent me...”

Jesus,
You were speaking with such sorrow and strength, preparing the hearts of Your friends. You knew You were going away, not to abandon them, but to return to the Father. That line echoes in my soul: “But now I am going to the one who sent me…” It feels like a gentle whisper of trust, a surrender into the arms of love.

Sometimes, Jesus, I feel like I don’t understand where You are leading me. Like the disciples, I often want to ask, “Where are You going?” But instead, I just stay silent. Maybe because I’m scared. Maybe because I know the answer means change. But You don’t leave us in silence. You promise something more beautiful—“It is better for you that I go. If I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.”

What love this is—to go away so that we can receive the Spirit of truth. You never leave us empty-handed. You go to the Father, and yet You stay with us in another way—closer than before. Your Spirit enters quietly into the secret places of our hearts, bringing light where there was confusion, peace where there was fear.

Jesus,
Teach me to trust this quiet work of Your Spirit. Help me to be open, even when I do not see clearly. Teach me to become more like You—not by doing great things, but by allowing Your Spirit to live and breathe through me. Let me live simply, truthfully, gently—like You.

And when the world is loud with confusion, help me to listen to the stillness within, where Your Spirit speaks not of judgment, but of healing… not of punishment, but of truth… not of fear, but of freedom. Let me be a soft light in the dark—a quiet echo of Your love, walking with You, trusting the unseen, and waiting for joy to bloom. Amen.