It’s been difficult times for everyone around the globe, and we’ve been experiencing so much heartbreak these last couple years. Knowing how to comfort one another has been something heavy on my mind and I’ve been praying about it for a while. I wanted to share what I’ve been asking the Lord to show me in His Word, in regards to looking to Him for our comfort so we can go forward and comfort others.  How can we find encouragement for our hearts, so that, we can encourage others?

Here’s scripture that speaks directly to this:

“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 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.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

What a beautiful reminder. There’s so much that’s breaking our hearts (pain, fear, injustice, death, evil… you name it). Oh, we know it’s been that way since the beginning of time for sure… but the “birth pains” are getting stronger. Do you feel this too? We’re seeing so much happening, in our lifetime, of Biblical proportions. But as much as it’s troubling to experience these trials, see things around the world unravel, and pray with such a heavy heart, I think it’s so important to be reminded of some truths from the Bible that we can find comfort in.

I’ve shared my honest thoughts with you over the last two years on the realization that our lives are not really in our control. Life IS uncertain. Before the pandemic I think we were lulled to sleep by the things of this world so that we didn’t face this fact. But now what’s happening from this awakening? What do we do with this realization?

I think we can go in two different directions. One way leads to our vulnerability and one way leads us to peace and comfort.

Human nature looks to comfort ourselves in lots of different ways. It’s why we make comfort food… or sit on our “comfy” couch to forget life for a few hours. We love the comfort of home with all our family together, and all those things are wonderful and helpful in certain ways. But they aren’t lasting and they won’t build up our faith or give us the strength we need to help others. So how do we grasp all that’s going on in the world, trust that God is in control, and have faith to go forward and help lift the burdens of those around us?

Let me try to encourage you with a few things we can do to find comfort and give comfort to others.  Let me preface this by saying that I don’t have this down… I’m needing this reminder as much as the next person. But this is what the Lords helped me to see during my devotional time in His Word and from the words of a couple pastors I respect.

1. We need to have our guard up. The Bible clearly says when we’re vulnerable it’s easy to be swayed. Let us be on guard so we’re not comforted by false teachings that sound good, make us feel good, but aren’t God’s truth revealed in His Word. The Bible teaches us that there will be many false teachers in the last days and we can see how true this is. Reminder: Right living comes from right teaching. Find sound teaching that teaches through the Bible, in context. And Girl… READ YOUR BIBLE. If that quote isn’t more appropriate than right now, idk what is. We need to read God’s Word in order to know the truth and rightly know what’s false. That will undoubtedly bring peace and comfort into our lives. And when you’re not sure what someone is preaching/teaching, be like the Berean’s and see if it lines up with scripture. Read 2 Peter 2.

2. We need to be sheep that hear our Father’s voice. If we believe that Jesus is our true Shepard, (Psalm 23, John 10, 1 Peter 2) are we letting what we believe dictate how we behave? Jesus’s words speak life into our lives, and promise an abundant life. He’s not talking material abundance here… He’s talking about His comfort, His love, His eternal life! So are we living our lives with this assurance? Does it help us in the trials and decisions we make? Reminder: When we are saved by grace, through faith, we can never be snatched out of His hands. That is the HOPE & COMFORT we can go forward with and what we need to share with a broken world. Read John 10.

3. We need to seek first the kingdom of God. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Matt. 6:33. When we seek God first… go to His Word first… get on our knees and prayer first… He gives comfort. And He desires to give us every spiritual blessing. That’s amazing! This means we can enjoy forgiveness of sins, redemption, revelation, grace and peace, wisdom and understanding… and comfort! Reminder: We seek God in His Holy Scripture and in prayer. When we seek the Lord first, His will and purposes are revealed to us by hearing God’s Word and the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Read Ephesians 1 and see how all this is entrusted to us after we hear the Word and receive it. Read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 and see how many times it says “hears the word”. 

Friends, these are times we need to be strengthened in our faith and remember all that God has done in the past, all He is doing right now (even if we don’t see it) and all He promises to do forever and ever!

I’ve given you lots of scripture today, but I hope you’ll take some time over the weekend to read those passages.

Let us find our comfort in the God of ALL comfort… so we can comfort others. 💕

I’m going to be gone next week on a little break to do some writing. I’ll be pretty absent on social media and this blog, as I hope to get my manuscript mostly completed. Know that I’m praying for these words to bless you and bring you comfort.

Hugs to all,

Laura McCollough