This seems tough and impossible as we live on this earth. Can there really be comfort in this crazy world? I say, yes, because God has told us in His word and His word is true. We know by reading that God is love so nothing can separate us from His love. He will love us even when we choose our own path. It is the same with our comfort on earth. It says, “…God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.” We do not really know comfort apart from Him and He has shown us this so we can use our life story and experiences to help comfort others.
When we seek Christ and who He is and what He did we can feel the peace in our hearts. Try it when you are really struggling, just let go and open God’s word and pray. To me there is nothing like it. Our walk is living in Christ and receiving peace, joy and comfort through Christ. When we are being fully devoted followers of Christ there is more Christ in the world that can comfort hurting people. Are we being the hands and feet of Christ? Are we making a difference so people don’t just hear about Jesus but they see Him in us?
Verse 4 says, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others…” We are to replicate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are all qualities that Jesus had and that the Spirit in us produces so we are able to live out our free gift and make sure we are learning and shining daily so people can see Christ in this crazy world.
My mentor Trent Renner made a couple statements in his sermon last weekend and I wanted to share them. First, he said, “Allow God to take hold of you.” We need to quit fighting what we know and feel in us. And secondly, “Has God grabbed you by the heart?” When He does and our focus is growing in Him we are comforted in all situations and we have peace even when we have these senseless tragedies like in Connecticut and in the mall in Oregon, in China when all the kids were stabbed and even when King Herod had all the babies 2 years and under killed to hopefully get rid of the Messiah.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 9 Paul says, “In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely on God, who raises the dead.” Troubles won’t change but God has shown us what will and that is our hearts. Amen