Our Daily Bread: Called to ServeSample

Word for the Weary

The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. —Isaiah 50:4

Crisis response expert Bob VandePol was attending a major motor speedway event to honor first responders following the September 11 attacks. As one first responder prepared to address the pre-race crowd, grief and pain suddenly overwhelmed the man. He desperately wanted to honor his colleagues but he could barely speak.

At that moment, Bob stepped up and went to his side. “With just a few words and my willingness to be with him, the Lord’s presence was there,” remembers Bob. The man was able to continue speaking.

“We want magical words that alleviate all suffering but they don’t exist,” Bob says. In those moments, he leans on Isaiah 50:4, “The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary.”

Being part of a first-responder team often requires that we offer support to individuals in the midst of overwhelming grief and intense trauma. We don’t have to find the perfect words to fix the pain. Instead, we can ask the Lord to give us a gentle word to sustain anyone enduring a traumatic event. 

The apostle Paul gives us this encouragement: “[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4). 

Through our compassionate encouragement and presence, we invite the Holy Spirit into the situation that allows Him to work in ways beyond our human capacity.

Lisa Samra

Sometimes the best comfort is just being there.