Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NAS95)
As I pondered “comfort,” I had to ask myself, what actually comforts me. Yes, people can, and the support of my wife or family helps significantly in feeling comfort. Yet as I considered my relationship to life and God, something caught my attention.
“With God” and I did not know how to describe it. What caught my attention had to do with operating, functioning, with the awareness of God with me. The Bible states it as “keep in step with the Spirit” — the presence of God with me.
I had this sense that comfort actually comes from God Himself, and then He motivated me to survey my life. I have done a lot of work over the years with the concept of obedience or responsiveness to God, both in my life and assisting others.
When I considered my own experience, I noticed whether with words or works (see the verse cited above) as I partnered with God or kept in step with His Spirit, something else occurred in me. God allowed me to sense something like comfort or affirmation as I attempted to partner. God honored the attempt and comforted me, whether or not I did it “right” or “well.”
What seemed important to God had more to do with attempting to stay with Him, listening, responding, and a form of comfort or relaxed state entered my experience. What I sensed or felt in the moment. Maybe I could say it had an encouraging “zing” in it.
I take those moments as “from God” and somehow it builds a memory that continues to influence my soul. All that works to create in me a desire to remain open and responsive to God, and the cycle that allows me to have comfort continues to build in both my words and my works. What am I noticing? Doing life with God enables me to sense the comfort of His empowering presence.
For Reflection:
“O may Your lovingkindness comfort me, according to Your word to Your servant.” (Psalm 119:76 NAS95)
- What experiences have you had that help you notice God’s involvement as One who comforts?
- What spiritual practices do you use to help cultivate attentiveness to God’s presence throughout your day? How do you see comfort working in them?
