Comfort.  There are folks in my world today that need a boatload of comfort.  Which made me think of

2Co 1:4  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.

That sent me on a search for other Scriptures that speak of comfort.  What exactly is it?  How is it gained? Of what good is it?  I didn’t get very far before I came back to a familiar theme.  And I was just a little surprised how it all tied together.  And it makes me realize, even though great effort might be expended, it’s a difficult task not to live by mere sight of the flesh in this world.  As believers, it’s not our true destiny.  God didn’t create for us to be short sighted and focused on this plane.

Php 3:20  For our conversation  (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

More and more I am convinced many of us as Christ’s followers neglect the very thing we need most to survive in this world of Ugly.  It doesn’t take much exposure to all the world has to offer before one can realize this is a dark, dangerous, dirty world we live in…..without God’s viewpoint in our hearts.  Really.  Isn’t He the One who makes this day have great possibilities?  Isn’t this world He created full of beauty, and awesomeness…when you take time to really see His Creation and appreciate His handiwork.  Apart from including Him in our thoughts though….it’s ugly.  No other way to put it.

So, how can I offer comfort to those in need?  First I have to have experienced it, I have to know the resources where that supply is found.  Reading that Scripture in 2Corinthians in context requires us to back up a verse:

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Ah Ha.  God.  Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Father of mercies.  God of all comfort. There it is.  What do we do with it?

“God is in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.”(J. Baldwin Brown, B. A.) That is comfort.  We have been reconciled to God by our relationship with Christ.  Where is the comfort in that?  Whatever trial is upon us, we have confidence there is purpose in it. Purpose leading up to the final recognition of our Heavenly citizenship.  We are not citizens of this world, rather, we are just passing through this world, on our journey to The Kingdom of God.  Our hope, and our purpose to arrive there ready to join the great chorus giving Him honor and praise. As such, our thoughts and feelings should gravitate toward our true Home.  And the One who waits for us there.  With Him in view we can depend on His comfort to be enough.  We have resources to offer to others who are suffering.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So….what does comfort look like in the face of the brokenness of life?  How does it work when loved ones leave this world forever?  When our deepest hurts and heartaches overwhelm us with discouragement? When our physical being is assaulted with unrelenting maladies that steal rest and disrupt our existence to the very core?

Is the clue to how to comfort others found in the cues given in the commands?….

1Th 5:16  Rejoice evermore.

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

We are comforted when we acknowledge God is good and right in all things, He can be trusted even when we don’t understand our circumstances. We are released from that burden of fear, worry, a joyless existence, sorrow…because He is in control and we are called on to outwardly wear our trust in His goodness and wisdom.  For what can we rejoice when pain is great, burdens are many, resources are slim?  We are to rejoice in the One from Whom we have  our Eternal destination. We are to have a view of our citizenship that allows us to look ahead in the journey to our final goal.  For what can we unceasingly pray?  All those things we carry as burdens, God wants us to lay at his feet, trusting Him to care for them….unceasingly, because…can’t we find an endless list of troublesome thoughts if we let down our guard?  Constant contact with the Comforter allows us to lay each of those troubles in His care.

And, for what can we give thanks?  In every kind of test, trial, awful circumstance the one constant we have is God’s Sovereignty.  We are blood bought and sealed to His care.  We can be thankful for all time and Eternity for just that alone.  Does it mean anything to you?  Does salvation mean enough that you can be thankful for His grace and mercy if there were nothing else at all?  The real question becomes, where is your citizenship?

Before real comfort can be extended to others, we must first have experienced true Comfort ourselves.  The depth of comfort only the true Comforter offers is found only by a deep and full trust in all He intends for us.  If we are to truly comfort others, we must have confidence enough in God’s plan and purpose that we can in fact live the commands … Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks.  What kind of comfort is it if you speak it, but, it’s not your own personal possession?