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. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
I hope you are having a most excellent week. Let us invite God's Presence. Say, "Come, Lord Jesus Come. I want to feel your presence. Fill my heart and mind today Lord. I want more of you today than ever before. Continually increase in my life." Just take a moment, and seek God's face will you. Can you see it? Can you see the eyes of fire, the head of wool, can you hear His voice, it sounds like waters? Isn't He beautiful!!! Just tell God how much you love Him!!!
Praise Him! Praise the God of Comfort, the God of compassion, and the God of Love. This week, God woke me up in the middle of the night with some chastisement on heart issues. Mind you, I got the message loud and clear, yet God did it out of Love. I didn't feel like the guilt ridden child, who hides in shame in the closet. I didn't feel intimidated or scared. I felt God's peace. In fact, when God started to reveal to me the issue, he started out with Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." What an awesome way to begin a chastisement. In fact, it was because of this, that I realized the fullness of God's love and comfort. I think 2 Corinthians 1 captures this when it says, "God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles." Even when we are being chastised by Him, He still comforts us - that is how much He loves us.
So, with this knowledge, why do we get caught in the stress and anxieties of life? When life throws us wrenches in our perfectly laid out plans, we get upset. How do we find God's peace when everything else around us is in disarray? How are we to comfort others, when we ourselves need comforting? I can tell you one thing, knowing that God is in control brings a piece of comfort to your soul. Allowing God to be in control is difficult, but in the end provides amazing peace and comfort. Do you think God will bring harm, if we allow Him to take control? Things may not go as we have planned, but doesn't God promise to bring us a hope in a future? Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Doesn't God promise to work things out for the good? Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. So, why should we worry when our life seems out of control? When we are in the valley, being beaten down, not knowing what will come tomorrow, or what our future will hold. This can be a scary place. But isn't it comforting to know that God is with us? Psalms 23:4, Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
So, how are we to comfort others? Once we receive the comfort from the Lord, we are able to see past our own problems, to help others. There is a comfort in helping others. And when we allow God to be in control of our lives, we are able to have a testimony to bring comfort to others. Just this weekend, I woke up singing to God that I want to serve Him. Then He brought 2 opportunities in the day for me to serve Him. He ordered my steps so I could meet each divine appointment. I was able to look past my life, my problems, to serve God, to help others. There are opportunities for us to serve the Lord everyday all around us. Are we tuned in, to be able to meet these opportunities? I know that there are plenty of days, I get caught up in my own agenda, that I don't even recognize the opportunities to serve the Lord. Then there are others, where God blatantly asks me to do something, and I allow fear to overtake me, and I choose not to act on it. I usually get convicted after, and have to repent. This also happened recently. I saw a man in the store with an injured foot. I felt an urging in my spirit, to approach the man, and ask him if he would like me to pray for him. Yet, I allowed fear to take over. What if he's not a believer? He may think I'm crazy. I don't even know this man. I missed an opportunity to serve the Lord because I allowed fear to take over. Let us not allow our flesh take over, and allow God to move in us.
We know that God can comfort us in the good times and the bad times, we know that Christ suffered, so He has complete compassion on us. Because we have gone through the valleys in life, we can minister to others who are in the valley. We can comfort them with the same comfort Jesus uses to bring comfort to us. This is how we are to be like Jesus, to look more and more like Him. Jesus endured sufferings; we should be able to endure sufferings. We are to put our hope in Him, so that way we can receive His comfort. Receive God's comfort today. Allow Him to move in you, to take control of your life. No matter where you are in life, whether on the mountain top or in the valley, or anywhere in between, feel the comfort of God.
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