Abounding in His Comfort (Part 5)

READ: JOHN 1:18; ROMANS 12:19; REVELATION 21:3-4

Do you have a favorite place to think or pray? I do. Most mornings I grab my coffee and head to the back porch. There, I meet with God in prayer, asking to be led by His Spirit and asking for grace to face the day. This is one way He brings me comfort. Along with prayer, Scripture reveals other ways we can know Christ’s comfort.

First, we have God’s people. Scripture teaches believers that we “belong to each other” (Romans 12:5) and make up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). Thus, we can say that God is present, comforting believers through one another (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Second, we find comfort in God’s Word. John 1 teaches that Christ is the Word made flesh who has “revealed God to us” (verse 18). What an unfathomable comfort. And Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word is “sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword... It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Because of this, we can take comfort in being fully known and completely loved by Christ—He is the Word of God who has come to us.

Third, we have God’s promises. His final word on suffering declares two things. One, evil and pain will be hijacked (transformed and remade) into good (Romans 8:17-39). And two, every wrong will be made right: “‘I will pay them back,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). So, we can give all our desire for vengeance to God, who will ensure justice prevails at Jesus’s return. When this happens, all will be made new. “There will be no more death or sorrow... or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:3-4). When Jesus returns, we will celebrate with joy as we are made whole by the presence of God. And we will enjoy the unceasing comfort of Christ forever. • G. Kam Congleton

• Although Scripture doesn’t explain why evil and suffering exist, we know suffering entered our world when sin entered it (Genesis 3). And we know that in the end, God’s goodness and justice will triumph. In the meantime, when we experience pain, we can ultimately trust in God’s love, demonstrated visibly in the person of Jesus, as Romans 8:39 says, “indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If you want to dig deeper into the topic of suffering, consider reading through one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John), and ask God to help you see His love made visible in the life and sacrifice of Jesus.

...God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:5b (NLT)