Comfort

 ^“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. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5.

With the presence of the Lord comes His comfort. In preparation for His return to Heaven, Jesus told the disciples that He would not leave them comfortless, but would send the Holy Spirit to be their helper, advocate comforter (see John 14) . . . and He does comfort us . . . in so many ways. Sometimes it comes in a break in the storm—a piece of good news or a time away from hospitals, pokes and waiting rooms. Sometimes comfort is a gift from a stranger. Music has been a constant source of comfort and strength for me. The outpouring of love from others blesses my soul. And over and over again, I have found comfort in God’s living Word.

Galatians 6:2 commands us to “[b]ear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Sometimes our greatest source of comfort is found walking behind or alongside those who have (or are) traveling the same path. In the comparably short time I have stayed in the hospital and endured with my son through his treatments, I have found certain things to be more helpful than others. If there is a way for me to offer that same help to someone else who needs it, then I want to do it. I believe that one of the reasons that the Lord has allowed this suffering in our lives, is so that I might better be able to care for others. The Lord has been merciful toward us and He has brought many into our lives that need to know of that same mercy, to know that those who mourn will be comforted (see Matthew 5:4).