February 5th, 2017

To know God as a comforter we must experience pain.

Don't know too many people that like pain. Remember the stub your toe and cry out kind of pain. How about the, my best friend moved and she's gone kind of pain. Some of us have experienced the gut wrenching bring you to your knees kind of pain, when someone you love has hurt you or you have lost a loved one. It hurts....it sucks....it tests you but it IS necessary. How else can we know God as a Comforter unless we need comforting? 
God knows every heartache, every tear and every need; after all He created you. We must learn to trust in Him and develop the head and heart knowledge that we can depend on Him. It's choosing to lean on Him when we hurt or are disappointed. This world is full of disappointments. Didn't get the new job, raise, parenting, marriaging, you name it! I'm sure God himself was pretty disappointed when Adam and Eve fell. He created them for fellowship with Him yet they chose sin over the life they had in the very presence of our Lord.

"God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." By clinging to our Father in difficult times it gives us the opportunity to seek all of these things. Maybe He will give you His wisdom to see things from His perspective. Maybe His power will give you the power to change the situation or your current circumstances. Maybe His goodness will make you realize how blessed and fortunate you are. And I pray that His truth will always make you know just how much you are loved and cherished. When we seek these things from our Father, the world becomes a little more tolerable and His joy will be what carries you. Psalm 34:18 tells us, 
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 
So I encourage you and myself, when we hurt and yes pain is inevitable; draw close to your Father. His love never fails and you will find comfort in His arms.
-D