Comfort

 Comfort- What is it?  Living in America, our lives often seem to revolve around comfort.  When it is cold outside, we turn on a heater or start a fire.  When it is hot, we pump up the a.c.  When we get home we kick off our shoes and sit on our couch, which we chose somewhat because it proved comfortable to us.  We chose jeans, shoes, and other clothes that feel comfortable.  We chose friends who we are comfortable being ourselves with and who comfort us when we are troubled.  If we suffer from physical pain, we take pain relief.  I don't think that I could exhaust this list.

But what happens when we can't ease the discomfort in our lives?  Things come for which there seem to be no remedy.  We toss and turn and question, "Why?"  We get confused, we get angry and we feel abandoned and alone.  All of which, I would argue, are healthy and a part of discovering lasting comfort.  This comfort is one which will not change with the seasons, will not age or wear out like our couch and our clothing, will not wear off in a few hours like pain medicine, and understands us better than our closest friend. This comfort does not usually answer our whys or make sense of our heaviest burdens.  Rather it gives us peace and stillness to overcome in the midst of walking through them.

Through all of the things in my life that have made the least sense to me, I have questioned God.  And each time He has answered in inaudible ways.  When I lost my grandfather while I was a teenager, I asked if He was real, if He was "up there", if He cared.  Less than a year later I discovered that the God who I thought was far off, was actually very near.  He wanted to be the Father I never had, He wanted to walk with me and have a relationship with me.  I remember being blown away that being a Christian was so much more than knowing "about God" and I was comforted that it was about "knowing God" in a personal relationship. Knowing I could never be perfect for God, I was comforted that He had a solution for my sins, His own Beloved Son, who lived the life I never could.  God gave me a peace and a joy that I could've never imagined possible as I accepted Christ as my Savior.

This relationship with my faithful Father has carried me through many things.  When I lost most of my community to Hurricane Katrina, He was there.  When my husband worked two months straight of 12 hour days, 7 days a week, during hurricane relief, God was there.  I had no one else but Him.   

With the loss of Ashlynn, God proves once more that He is present and that He knows my pain, hears my cry, hurts alongside me, and gives me a peace that surpasses understanding.  How do I know such comfort?  

Just before Jesus left to be with the Father He comforted His disciples.  He acknowledge their sorrow and knew their confused hearts.  He promised that He would come back to them after preparing a place for them in His house.  And He promised to send a "Comforter" and not leave them as orphans.  The Holy Spirit came shortly after Jesus left.  This is an awesome mystery!  God Himself in the form of the Holy Spirit teaches us and comforts us as we journey toward home.

I know comfort and peace through God's promises told to me through His Word.  I know it through the life of His Son told to me in the Bible.  I know it through the Spirit who opens my heart and who prays in my behalf when I am out of words to pray.

I am thankful for His faithfulness to me.  Even when the night seems long, He is there as I walk one step at a time trusting in Him.

I hope and pray that I could be a comfort and share this eternal Comfort because of how He has worked and continues to work in my life.  One of my fears is that I will forget when things are going great and that I will miss out on opportunities to love others with the love that He gives me.  May he keep my heart focused on Him and glorify Himself through me.

"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. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort." 2 Corinthians 1 3-7

More verses about God's comfort

(Psalms 119:50 NIV) My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

(Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV) You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. {4} Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

(Isaiah 54:10 NIV) Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

(Isaiah 57:18-19 NIV) I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, {19} creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them."

(Matthew 11:28-30 NIV) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

(John 14:26-27 NIV) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. {27} Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

There is a reason

Yet another song that I LOVE and that applies to all of us who struggle and have pain.  The lyrics are awesome and something I have thought about posting about.

I've seen hard times and I've been told
There isn't any wonder that I fall
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
There must be a reason for it all

I've trusted in You, Jesus, to save me from my sin
Heaven is the place I call my home
But I keep on getting caught up in this world I'm living in
And Your voice it sometimes fades before I know

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, crying with my need
Depending on Your love to carry me
The love that shed His blood for all the world to see
This must be the reason for it all

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, a fortress in the storm
When what I wrap my heart around is gone
I give my heart so easily to the ruler of this world
When the one who loves me most will give me all

In all the things that cause me pain You give me eyes to see
I do believe but help my unbelief
I've seen hard times and I've been told
There is a reason for it all

I don't know if I can really add anything to what she has written.  I just know that my life echos this song and that there is a reason for pain. One analogy is that of our senses in our hand.  If we did not have pain sensors to tell us when we were handling something of harm, say a hot pot or a sharp object, we would constantly be burning ourselves or cutting ourselves beyond repair.  The pain is there to warn us of greater harm.  It hurts, so we remove from the source of pain.  It hurts, so we apply balm to clean it and prevent infection.

In the same way, if we did not have pain, we would not know our need for a Savior.  The need would be there, but we would never cry out to him. Our hearts would continue into danger and become infected and fester with the things of this world.  We would be lost and perish without ever coming to the Healer, the Balm, the one who binds our wounds.  In contrast with our pain, the promises of God shine all the more brilliant.

In addition, our suffering makes us question and long for a life that is so much different.  We were created for a different life. One far beyond anything we can comprehend.  There is so much more in store for us.  Christ has come and will come once more to bring us to our true Home.

^"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Psalm 84

                                      ¹ How lovely is your dwelling place,
                                             O LORD Almighty!

 ² My soul yearns, even faints,
       for the courts of the LORD;
       my heart and my flesh cry out
       for the living God.

 ³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
       and the swallow a nest for herself,
       where she may have her young—
       a place near your altar,
       O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

 ⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
       they are ever praising you.
       Selah

 ⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
       who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

 ⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
       they make it a place of springs;
       the autumn rains also cover it with pools. ^[b]

 ⁷ They go from strength to strength,
       till each appears before God in Zion.

 ⁸ Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
       listen to me, O God of Jacob.
       Selah

 ⁹ Look upon our shield, ^[c] O God;
       look with favor on your anointed one.

 ¹⁰ Better is one day in your courts
       than a thousand elsewhere;
       I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
       than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

 ¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
       the LORD bestows favor and honor;
       no good thing does he withhold
       from those whose walk is blameless.

 ¹² O LORD Almighty,
       blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Just dreaming and hoping

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:1-7

Tonight I've been dreaming and thinking about Ashlynn and Home.

I remember when I was a young child I would wait eagerly for my mom to come get me after work.  At my grandma's house, I'd stand on my tip toes on her couch watching out the window when time drew near for her arrival.  Grandma would always say, "A watched pot never boils!"  I would then try to distract myself playing with toys.  The distraction never lasted long and I always found myself back at the window watching and waiting.

I know that God's glory and love consumes my baby, Ashlynn, but I can't help but wonder, "When it's time will she be peeking out of the window of the mansion of glory looking for me to come Home?  When she sees me in the distance, will she come running as fast as she can behind Jesus to greet me at Heaven's Gate? Maybe she's painting me a picture as she waits."

Thank you, Jesus, for going before us and for preparing us a room in your house.  Thank you for making a way for us to get Home by giving your life for us.  I long for the day to see you face to face and be Home at last.  Help me to be faithful here as I wait for you to come and bring me Home.