Comfort

      We seem to like the word, "comfort."  You can buy a "comforter."  You can indulge in "comfort food."  My sister once said that she wanted a Golden Retriever, a cup of hot chocolate by the fire and a good book with the snow falling outside.  Well, she never got even one of those things before she passed away.   When Job's problems came upon him, there were a number of friends that came to offer comfort to him.  At first, they just sat there and mourned with him and then finally they began to speak.  They would each take turns and Job would answer.  later on, Job comes to the conclusion that they aren't very much good when it comes to comfort.  Some people are that way.  They mean well and they want to offer comfort to you when you are down but often, the comfort comes out to be blame.  It is as if they are saying that "It's your own fault so just deal with it."  In some cases that might be true but it doesn't offer much comfort.  There is a greater source of comfort.  Psalm 119:50 says, "This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me."  
     A person can offer comfort, real comfort, if they take the Word of God and use it rather than their own philosophies.  The comfort that is offered by the Word of God is always filled with hope for the future.  Once you begin to take in the promises of the Scriptures and learn more about God who wrote them, you begin to see that there is hope and you do have comfort.  How often have you prayed for God to heal someone only to have them die and leave you alone?  You prayed earnestly for that individual only find yourself planning their funeral.  It can sometimes leave you wondering.  In reality, God did answer your prayer.  He just didn't do it in the way that you expected or the way that you wanted.  Death is often the healing that God provides.  Consider the fact that When a person dies they go on to be with the Lord and that their physical pain is gone.  They have a perfect existence in the presence of God.  Their disease is gone.  Now what was it for which you prayed?  God gave you the answer to your prayer.  Again, it just wasn't in the way we expected.  There are other instances where God answers and since it isn't in the way we expect, we feel that He didn't hear us.  But, just be strong in the Word of God and depend upon Him in each and every thing.  God will provide and He will comfort.  Praise Him for the fact that God comforts and that we are made alive through His Word.