Comfort!

Comfort!

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV

[3] Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; [4] who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

There is something mysterious about that which God is and does, that is difficult to explain in human terms. The messages of salvation, redemption, sanctification and eternal life fall into this category. How does a Holy and Righteous God, who cannot behold iniquity, allow mortal, sinful man to approach Him for mercy and grace? In the face of the evils that go on around us, why does He not completely destroy man, and then make for Himself loyal and faithful subjects, who will do His bidding at all times? These questions run through my head when I consider the lives of men and women in the Bible, and by indirect extension, to our present earthly generation too. I come to the realisation that God can never be man, and His ways can never be our ways. We are human, limited and weighed down by the burden of the flesh; God has no such hindrance or limit. 

He is called the Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent God. He can do the most mighty works with the most mundane of things. The man who wrote these words to the church in Corinth would know a thing or two about this God. Paul was the one giving encouragement to the men who stoned Stephen to death, and he was actively involved in the persecution of the church that arose soon after. Several years later, Paul found himself too also persecuted for the same faith he once fought against. There came a time for him when he said a messenger of Satan was sent as a thorn in his flesh. He asked God to take it away, but rather than take it away, God gave him sufficient grace to keep him focused and engaged on his assignment. At times like these, when you see a servant of God going through tough times, there are dealings and experiences that will not always make sense, but they will always align with the will of God for that man's life. 

This is where the message of the verse above makes sense. God can choose to take His child out of that unpleasant situation, but if He chooses to leave the child in it, be sure that something amazing will come out of it. . There is no demand on earth that can exhaust the resources of heaven. When God gives comfort, He knows that His supply can never be exhausted by anyone, not even if all over 8 billion of us on earth ask Gos for the same thing at the same time. That which he gives me will address my need, but it will also be enough to be a blessing to another person too. Tough times are built into the fabric of our growth and development as Christians, but God never leaves us alone. His Word of assurance at this time is He is there at all times: in the valley, in the storm, in the fire, on the mountain, anywhere we find ourselves. That which He gives is for me, as well as the world around me. Make sure that you are rightly connected to the supply of grace. Your life will always make impact. God's time of favour is here.