II Corinthians 1:3-4 “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

A COMFY CHAIR IS NOT COMFORT

When I think of comfort I think of my recliner. We bought a new one a couple of years ago after my old one gave up the ghost. I had worn it out. So it was time for a new one. This time we bought one of those power recliners with the button on the side. All I have to do is push that button to recline or to sit up. That’s what I call comfort.

But that is not what the Lord calls comfort. This verse teaches us that we go through afflictions and hard times so that He can comfort us and, in turn, we can use that experience to comfort others who are going through the same thing. That’s God’s idea of comfort – comforting others, not ourselves.

I am amazed at how our children do this when they are very young. Have you ever watched your child, when they were a toddler or preschooler, comfort someone who was upset? It may have been you. Perhaps you were crying about something sad, and they crawled up in your lap and said, “Don’t cry Mommy. I love you.” That kind of comforting is natural at that age.

TEACHING MOMENT

As they grow older and face some difficult times, they will have the opportunity to be comforted themselves, by you and the Lord. We need to show them the importance of sharing that comfort with others. Don’t let them lose that comforting ability. The world makes us hard, if we let it. We have to stay tenderhearted and usable of the Lord. Let the Lord use you as His comfort giver. Teach your children to do the same.

The next time you or your child go through a hard time, make a list of the ways the Lord has comforted you in the midst of it. Then we you see that other person going through the same thing, you can share what the Lord did for you and can do for them.