Hill: God offers genuine, lasting comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

This comfort is more than a pat on the shoulder, a soothing word, a gentle hug. It carries the meaning, “with strength.”God comes alongside of us to give us strength in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).

Speaking the Truth in Love by Pastor Tommy Hill

Speaking the Truth in Love
by Pastor Tommy Hill

God comforted Job with strength during the greatest trial we read of in the Bible and Job was able to say; “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” After the sorrow Satan was permitted to bring, his heart still blessed the name of the Lord. Here is the reason why.

GOD IS OUR SOURCE of all comfort. The more we know of God, and the more we know God, the greater comfort we are able to receive and then pass alone to those who are hurting. Without God, there is no real or genuine lasting comfort.

We live in a world where comfort is sought from temporary sources. The emptiness of philosophy that comforts through worldly wisdom can provide comfort but there is no eternal lasting value. The material trinkets that we buy to sooth our desires and comfort our hearts soon rust, tarnish, or become worn and broken and the comfort achieved from the trinket vanishes like smoke. These possessions will not provide what the soul needs from God. Many turn to alcohol, drugs, and excesses just to find a little happiness. These only produce temporal reprieves for hurting hearts. There is only one true source of comfort and that is the God of all comfort. 

WE ARE GOD’S SUBJECTS for comfort. God desires to comfort us. Verse 4 says, “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.” God doesn’t just select a few miniscule trials from our life’s journey and decide He will comfort us through those trials. The Bible says that God comforts us in all tribulations. Some may ask why God does not free them from these great trials. We must understand that God’s comfort, many times, is to assist us through the trial, not free us from it. It is often though the trials that God perfects us and makes us more into the image of His Son. When we accept His comfort, He is able to mold us and prepare us to comfort others. Read some of Paul’s history in 2 Corinthians 11 & 12 to understand how he was comforted through trials.

In Mark 5, we read the story of Jairus who came to Jesus because his daughter was sick. While waiting for Jesus to come, Jesus was delayed. It was at this time that some arrived from his house and told him his daughter was dead. Jesus spoke and said, “Be not afraid, only believe.” Jairus believed and his daughter was raised from the dead. We would all agree that great comfort was given to Jairus. Jesus comforted but Jairus BELIEVED in Him.

WE ARE TO SHARE God’s comfort by comforting others. “That we may be able to comfort them…” is the command given when we have received comfort from God. We live in a world where people are hurting every day. People have been crushed by life yet CONSOLED by God and are now able to comfort others. Who have you intentionally comforted recently? May I challenge you today to pass along some of the comfort you have received from God to someone who is searching for just a little hope. We serve the God of all comfort. AMEN.

Pastor Tommy Hill is the pastor of First Free Will Baptist Church in Hamlet. He is a Richmond County native. He can be reached at firstfwbchurchhamlet@gmail.com. His column will appear each Friday in The Pee Dee Post.

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