-Comfortable Or Comforted?
What comes to mind when the word “comfort” is mentioned? A hammock in the summer shade with a gentle breeze blowing and a pitcher of cold lemonade nearby? A reclining chair beside the fireplace in a cozy den on a cold winter day? These scenes sound comfortable, don’t they? However, this is not what the Bible has in mind when “comfort” is mentioned.
The God Of All Comfort
To catch the biblical meaning of the word “comfort,” picture the following situations: a struggling swimmer being rescued by a strong lifeguard; a sobbing child, lost in the marketplace, being helped by a kind shopkeeper; a grief-stricken parent being consoled by a compassionate pastor; an accused citizen being assisted by an able defense lawyer.
The word “advocate” in 1 John 2:1 is the same word which is translated “comforter” in chapters 14-16 of John’s gospel, where Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, the primary idea in the word “comfort” is “to come alongside” to help and give aid in time of need. This is really what comfort is all about. No wonder this is the word that our Lord used when He spoke of the Holy Spirit who would come and comfort us (Jn. 14:16-17).
Second Corinthians 1:3 tells us that our God is the “God of all comfort.” He is not a hard and unconcerned boss, but rather a helping, supporting, compassionate and consoling Father who “comes alongside” to help in times of trouble. He is the “Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.” All comfort ultimately has its source in God. Why then, in times of need, do we look within ourselves to find a source of comfort? It’s just not there! It’s pretty hard to “come alongside of” yourself to help yourself! The source of all comfort resides outside ourselves, in God. David said, “I will lift up my eyes … My help comes from the Lord” (Ps. 121:1-2). David knew that it was useless to look within himself for help. All his help would come from without – from the Lord Himself.
In the first part of 2 Corinthians 1:4 there is a promise we can claim. Our heavenly Father will comfort us “in all our affliction.” The word “affliction” means “pressed or burdened of spirit.” It does not mean only physical suffering, but anything that happens to get us down – from bad circumstances to antagonistic persons. God has promised to come alongside and help us during all these times. So let’s claim this promise!
Do you feel like tossing in the towel right now because nobody appreciates the job you’re doing? Then now is the time to claim this promise and call upon God. He will “come alongside” and help you. Does it seem as if everyone is picking on you and that no one understands? Look to the Lord. He has promised to “come alongside” and comfort you.
But one word of qualification is in order here. The Bible tells us that when we call on the Lord it should be “out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22). In other words, if our spirits are pressed because we are bitter against God, angry with a family member or jealous of our co-worker, then we should not expect God to come alongside and comfort us. Most likely He will discipline us (in love, of course). But if our hearts are right, then we can always count on God to “come alongside” and help us in our times of need.
Will Comfort Us
Another beautiful side of this promise in 2 Corinthians 1:4 is that He “comforts us in all our affliction.” A problem for us is what is pressing in on our spirits. Someone else may consider this burden insignificant or it may be too personal to discuss with anyone, but it is pressure on our spirit just the same. Therefore if we call on the Lord we can be sure that He will come alongside to give us aid.
We must admit that we do make mountains out of molehills and we do mix up our priorities. Many of our problems are our own fault, but in His grace, God comes alongside and helps us in our problems. What a promise! In the second half of verse 4 a responsibility is given to Christians who have known the comfort of God. We are to comfort others! The comfort of God is not a dead-end issue with us! We are to pass it along to others. This is one very personal method that God has chosen to distribute His comfort. We are to “come alongside of” others who are in need and comfort them. We are not comforted to be comfortable, but to be comforters.
So We Can Comfort Others
We see, then, that one of the reasons why God permits us to go through troubles and hardships is to open up our “comfort channels” for others. Did you ever experience the comfort of God when you were lonely? Then “come alongside of” that lonely student down the hall and pass on the comfort of God. Did God “come alongside” and bridge the troubled waters when your marriage broke up? Then “come alongside of” that heart-broken one you know with the comfort only God can give. Was the Lord there to help when you lost your job? Then “come alongside of” your neighbor who has just been laid off, let God comfort him through you, and you become a channel of comfort! We are not to avoid people with problems; instead, we are to “comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:4).
A lot of Christians have the idea that the “ideal life” on this earth is one which is completely free of any problems or afflictions – just one big comfortable ride. They even get a little uptight with God when things don’t go smoothly, and they feel that God is letting them down. But if our lives were free of problems, we would never know the comfort of God.
Think of a little child who falls and scrapes his knee. His father “comes alongside,” picks him up, consoles him and gently washes and bandages his knee. That wonderful experience of fatherly comfort was only possible because the child had the “problem of affliction” – a painful scraped knee. God permits us to scrape our knees in this life so that we can experience our heavenly Father’s comfort. The ideal life for the growing Christian is not to be comfortable, but to be comforted.
By David R. Reid
With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org
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