God Comforts You
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” – II Cor. 1:3-4
Sometimes you just need a hug. One of the most precious times of my day is in the morning when my children awaken. One or the other of them comes quietly walking down the hall from their bedroom and comes to sit in my lap for a few minutes while I drink my morning cup of tea. There isn’t much conversation in those moments, it’s just a comfort to know that mom is here. On Jamey’s days off, he gets the joy of holding our children as they awaken for the day. In the same way, God comforts us. Whether we feel disoriented from a long night’s sleep, or we are afraid of circumstances beyond our control, sometimes you just need a hug.
Paul explained to the church in Corinth that God uses the trials, difficulties, and the suffering we endure to provide comfort for us and in turn for us to comfort others. “God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” -II Cor. 1:4. Since we have been comforted, we can extend that gift of God’s comfort to others. In your own life, when have you experienced the presence of God’s comfort?
Recently, I shared with a friend a reminder of the promises of God in Scripture from Lamentations 3:19-23, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” In the midst of the lament of God’s people, they remembered how God had been faithful in the past and how God would be faithful in this painful time. Little did I know, the hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, written from this scripture passage, was really precious and important to this family. The couple had it as part of their wedding ceremony. Those words spoke hope and life and comfort to this friend in a very difficult time. God uses us to comfort one another, when we are willing.
God knows you. God loves you. God hears you. God forgives you. God comforts you. You are treasured.
Eternal God, to whom all may come through your Son, lay your healing hand upon all those who are sick. Make your loving presence known to those who are lonely. Give your strengthening power to those who are weak. May those who lack be filled, those who mourn be comforted, those who worry be calmed and those who seek forgiveness find it in Jesus Christ; through whom we pray. Amen.
