Your Source of Peace and Comfort

In the USA the last weekend of May is a bittersweet weekend as we celebrate Memorial Day. It is a weekend of remembering our loved ones who have died. That remembering is sweet as we reflect on the good memories and it is bittersweet because we realize how much we miss them.

As the sorrow part of remembering occurs people sometimes try to comfort others by saying: “I know how you feel.” or ‘I know what you are going through.” It is well meant but often does little good and some times makes things worse. I recently had a conversation with a person who is going through a very hard time. She commented how someone made those comments and said: “She does not know how I feel! Her situation was very different!” And you know she was absolutely correct. It reminded me that I can pray for her; I can offer sympathy; I can do all that is in my ability to help; but I cannot offer empathy. I have never yet experienced the pain and difficulties she is going through right now.

So who do we go to for comfort, for strength to go on, for empathy when we desperately need it?

We can go to someone who has experienced a similar grief. While they might not “know exactly” how we feel, at least they have had a similar kind of situation. So they can sort-of relate to what we are going through and give some help.

However, there is only one source for the comfort, peace, and strength we really need. There is only one source that can really help whether you are remembering loss on Memorial Day, or in the midst of coping right now. That source is God! As we read in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “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, …” One of the names for God the Spirit is “the Comforter” {John 14:16, 26}. Concerning Jesus Christ, God the Son Hebrews 4:15 says: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” Remember too how he comforted people all through his ministry on earth.

One thing this means is that when we need comfort, peace, and / or solace, we can go to our God. Just as we can go to our earthly fathers we can and should go to our Heavenly Father. We can go to the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is always with us and receive God’s special touch. We can go confidently, because God the Son has experienced it too. This gives me tremendous help especially at those special moments when I need it most.

As Christians we have a special role in this process. God tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:4: “… so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received form God.” Many times God works through us to bring his comfort to those in distress. To do this we have to be sensitive to God’s guidance to be in the right place at the right time. We also have to be sensitive to God and the situation so we deliver the comfort in the right way. Then we will know both the reality of God’s comfort and the joy of seeing him work through us.

I pray that this week you will thank God for his comfort and you see him work through you.

Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker May 2003



Articles by Rev. Daniel B. Baker :: Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker