“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.” (Isaiah 40:1, NASB)
“Store up comfort. This was the prophet Isaiah’s mission. The world is full of hurting and comfortless hearts. But before you will be competent for this lofty ministry you must be trained …
Do you wonder why you are experiencing some great sorrow? …. You will tell them how you suffered and were comforted. As the story unfolds, God will apply the anesthetic He once used on you to them. Then in the eager look followed by the gleam of hope that chases the shadow of despair from the soul, you will know why you were afflicted. And you will bless God for the discipline that filled your life with such a treasure of experience and helpfulness.
God comforts us not to make us comfortable but to make us comforters. (John Henry Jowen)”
(from Streams in the Desert by L. B. Cowman, January 11, page 27)
**As I read the devotional, I was reminded of another portion of Scripture:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in affliction with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NASB)
Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash
Today I am joining … Scripture & a Snapshot and Sunday Scripture Blessings and Selah .
Wonderful reminder.
Wow, I want to remember this succinct and TRUE assessment of the reason behind our struggles!
I do as well, Michele. It is so easy to lose sight of this truth.
My word for 2019 was comfort and there is so much richness in God’s Word about this word.
Great post and such a great reminder, Joanne!
As they say, out of the fire…when we go through struggles it is comforting to know God is there before, during, and the end. And, also, he shows us the lessons learned. Love that. Great scripture.
I think those who have given me the wisest guidance were those who truly had been through hard times. They always pointed me to God and to His Word.
Such wonderful thoughts on comfort! We need it right now. We are expected to emulate God’s comfort for us so we can comfort others. Thanks for the reminder.
Laurie, I have been praying that these stressful days we all are experiencing would not only make us more Christlike, but that we would be comforters and share hope.
Beautiful reminder. How wonderful that we are part of God’s plan to comfort others. It helps us to not get stuck focused on ourselves, I think.