The Scriptures are full of verses encouraging us to turn to God for comfort. Psalm 23:4 says, “…I will fear no evil; for You are
with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me….” Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” And 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we are comforted by God.” There are, literally, dozens of other verses that testify to God as our Comforter. These are just a few.
But many of us have questions about this “comfort” that He provides. For the nature of our needs are many, and the types of comfort we may require are not all the same. This post begins an examination of God as our Comforter, and to start that consideration, let’s first look at some basics.
Need.
For us to desire or require comfort, we must first be in a situation where we feel in “need” or “distress.” We’ll define “need” as anything that we believe we require or must have. More urgent needs that remain unmet can result in “distress.” And, we’ll make the further assumption that a need will have been elevated to the level of distress before God’s “comfort” is sought or desired.
Situations in which we may feel distressed vary in their nature and the types of comfort we may seek for them. Types or categories of distress that require comfort can include:
- Physical: Illness, injury, hunger, addiction, or danger;
- Mental: despair, depression, or anxiety;
- Spiritual: questioning faith, lack of faith, diminished faith, searching for answers or guidance, or reassurance;
- Family/Relationships: troubled relationship(s), illness, or loss;
- Business/Financial: debt, income (business or personal), or production schedules.
Of course, the list of causes and situations that result in distress is nearly endless. I’ve included only a few of them here and am positive that each reader could add to this list.
Each of us finds himself/herself in some kind of need nearly every minute of every day. And, not infrequently those needs rise to the level of distress for which we desire comfort.
Comfort.
For our purpose in this post, the most pertinent definition of “comfort” is provided by the Google on-line Dictionary. It says that “comfort” is “…the easing or alleviation of a person’s feelings of…distress.”
The types of comfort we may seek are as varied as the needs or distresses they are meant to mitigate or alleviate. Whether we look for physical, mental, spiritual, relational, or financial comfort, any need that rises to the level of distress is acute, and our desire for comfort is urgent. And, the Bible tells us that regardless of the nature of our distress, God offers comfort.
The Real Enemy.
For most of us, all types of distress can be boiled down to one word, “fear.” We fear the result of an illness or the hopelessness of depression. We grieve over fractured family relationships and dreaded business failure. In each of these circumstances, our distress is caused by our fear of losing something precious to us, fear of potentially harmful outcomes, or a feeling of helplessness to rectify or eliminate the source of the danger we perceive. For us, comfort means freedom from fear.
Two Questions.
We’ve already seen that the Bible provides numerous scriptures regarding our needs and different levels and types of distress. The most often used phrase in the Bible is, “fear not.” In other words, “be comforted.”
So, if we have all these stories and verses from the Bible that tell us that God is our source of comfort and will comfort us if/when we let Him, why are we so distressed/worried? And, why is it so difficult for us to accept and recognize the comfort He can provide?” What are some practical answers to these questions?
The First Question. “Why are we so Distressed?”
Some of us lament, “If I had enough faith, I wouldn’t feel so distressed.” The fact is that everyone feels distressed at some point in his or her life. We are not alone in our distress and our need for comfort.
Being in distress is not a sign of spiritual inadequacy or failure. It is a sign of being human.
Remember that even Jesus was distressed in the garden of Gethsemane and when He was on the cross! So, need and its close relative, distress, are part of life. God knows and recognizes this and does not expect us to be other than we are. That’s precisely why He promises comfort.
Distress is not a sign that we’ve displeased God. We cry to the heavens, “Why me, God?” “What have I done to deserve this?” The truth is that God rarely visits calamity on a person. He does not “pick and choose” who will be distressed and who won’t. “God does not play favorites,” is a correct assertion. [Romans 2:11] Neither, does He decide which sources of distress we will encounter and which we will not.
No, God is not the source of calamity or distress in our lives. By and large, the origins of our distress are the result of our actions or the works of others around us. Our need for comfort is not “God-made,” it is “man-made.”
I do, however, believe that God intervenes in each of our lives, numerous times, throughout our lives. And, that when He does so, it is for our benefit. He desires for us to learn from each episode of distress that we encounter, and to grow closer to Him as a result of what we may have learned. If there is a “reason” for our distress, this is it: to lead us toward Him and into a closer relationship with Him.
The idea of a life without need or distress is a fantasy. God does not intend to shield us, but rather to accompany us and to comfort us as we move through our periods of distress.
To Be Continued.
In this week’s post, we’ve framed the issue of God’s Comfort and explored some answers to the first question posed, “Why are we so distressed?”. Next week we’ll tackle the second question, “Why is it so hard for us to accept and recognize His comfort?”
Until then,
God’s Blessings on You All.
Richard
June 28, 2019
