John 14:16 King James Version (KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:16 English Standard Version (ESV) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

I prefer the title Comforter over Helper simply because my first experiences with the Holy Spirit was in receiving comfort. During those early days of reading my bible, comfort was something I needed and I was not even aware of it at the time. God knew me better than I knew myself.

Psalm 104:15 English Standard Version (ESV) and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

This was being done in me and for me at a time when I had no understanding of what wine and bread represented. Who was making this happen? Was it something I was doing, or something that was being done to me? Perhaps it is a little of both. I was reading God’s Word and the Holy Spirit was using my reading to enact God’s will for me. My awareness would come with time.

My first comforts were all about me. I was the one who was a mess. His Word was slowly straightening me out through no real effort on my part except in continuing to read my bible. One of the first changes in thinking for me came about when I saw relevant meaning for others. It seemed that a verse or passage might help someone I knew was troubled.

I wanted to help someone else in the same manner I had been helped.

2 Corinthians 1:4 English Standard Version (ESV) who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

How could I help someone else if I didn’t understand how I had been helped?