Psalm 56:3-4 (ESV)
3 When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Encouragement of the Day:
God doesn’t get angry with us for feeling fear or pain. His open arms beckon us to come to Him, to cry out to Him.
I have a brother in heaven. Not many know this. Before I was born, my mom lost a son named Jamie. He had curly hair and hated when my mom would wash it. If any shampoo ever got in his eyes, he yelled, “Eyes! Eyes!” as his poor little eyes stung from the lathered mess. He couldn’t see through the pain, but my mom lovingly washed his face so he could see again. She was never angry with him for crying out to her in his pain and anxiety.
Pain and fear can be blinding forces. When we can’t see through the mess, all we can do is cry out to our heavenly Father.
King David knew that sort of anxiety. Even though a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), he still experienced life’s fiery trials and even asked God where He was in the midst of it. Yet God never condemned David for pouring out his heart to Him, for admitting he couldn’t see through the mess. He wiped David’s stinging eyes and helped him see the hope he has in his heavenly Father. Through this, David’s trust and reliance on God was built.
God doesn’t get angry with us for feeling fear or pain. His open arms beckon us to come to Him, to cry out to Him even if we can only utter a single word or no words at all. He wants us to experience His comfort and healing. We will then be able to extend that comfort to others by sharing the hope we have in our heavenly Father.
REFLECTION: Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. How does God’s comfort in difficult times equip you to share His comfort with others?