“In Need of Comfort?”


BIBLE READING: 2 Corinthians 1-4
DISCUSSION                                                                 
                The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time of family and celebration.  However, for many people this just isn’t the case.  The holidays are also a time of depression, grief and sadness.  So many people are experiencing their first holiday season without someone they love, whether it is due to death, divorce or even military deployment.  Our world is full of pain, loss and suffering and the holiday season only magnifies these problems.  That is why our reading for the day is so important. II Corinthians 1 is a wonderful passage to read whenever we are not in a celebratory mood.  Listen to the words of Paul as he begins his letter to the Corinthian brethren, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”(2 Corinthians 1:3-4).  If there is anyone who understands the feelings of pain, loss and rejection, it is our Heavenly Father.  He experienced the pain of having His Son placed upon the cross, but also must experience the rejection of His love by the unbelievers, as well as, the loss of those that die without obeying His Gospel.  We mustn’t forget that He doesn’t just experience this during the holidays, but He experiences this all the time.  The blessing for us is that He understands our feelings and offers us comfort.  When no one else cares, He does! When no one else will listen, He will! When everyone else abandons us, He remains!  I am reminded of the Psalms that David wrote that illustrated God as of Comforter, our Fortress, our Rock in time of despair.  He is and will continue to be all those things and so much more.  So, as we begin to hurt and need that comfort, turn to your Heavenly Father who continues to be “the God of all comfort”.  Then when you see others in need of that same comfort, you comfort them with the comfort you have received from Him.  Be observant this holiday season to your own need for Him, as well as those you encounter daily. 
Prayer Requests:___________________________________________________________________________________



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday - October 4, 2016

Woodlawn Family Bible Study TUESDAY BIBLE READING:    Genesis 32:22-32 Do you want to be blessed? That sounds like a rhetorical question, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t want to be blessed? I guess it really depends on your definition of “blessed.” Many people desire blessings that will make them wealthy or, perhaps, material goods. However, being blessed is not limited to those physical things. In fact, sometimes we can be blessed in the most unusual ways. For instance, in Genesis 32:26, we find Jacob wrestling with what we often call an angel. Within the story, Jacob is overtaking the angel and holding him down; refusing to let go until the angel gives him a blessing. The angel obliges Jacob, but not in the way he might have imagined. The angel changed his name from “Jacob” to “Israel,” but he also did something else. He put Jacob’s hip joint out of socket, causing him much pain and difficulty walking. In part, his blessing had to do with him walking with a limp. How is tha...
Read more

“Examples”

BIBLE READING: Mark 13- Luke 1 DISCUSSION                                                                                   This past week we have read of some great examples in the bible.   We read in Mark 13 about us being ready and being prepared for when Jesus returns.   We need to all stay awake!   In Mark 14 we read of one action having such an impact.   How this woman gave her very best to Jesus because of her love for Him.   In Mark 15 we read of Pontius Pilate and his desire to keep his power.   He loved his power and did not want to give it up even if that meant sending an inno...
Read more

Monday

BIBLE READING : Job 3. 1-26 “I wish I had never been born,” Job said to his friends. “I wish that my birthday was just wiped off of the calendar as though it never happened.” Who could blame him? The loss that he had endured in mere moments had been catastrophic. Job had experienced a wonderful life until that day, when all he had known changed. I know that many people have endured tragic losses, but Job’s defeat seems unfathomable. Isn’t it ironic that, although Job’s comments brought him so much pain, they can bring us so much joy? My mother always taught me that, no matter how bad I may think things are, someone else always is suffering more than I am. Not only does that help us to feel that we are not alone in our depression, but it gives us that hope for what is to come. Job’s story helps us to learn to appreciate the blessings that we have today! Job was not in control of his circumstances, but he was in control of his reaction to those circumstances. When Job was hurtin...
Read more