The God of Present Comfort

In a letter written to the Corinthian Church, God is called "The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort". That is who stands by you, near you, and all around you. There is a beautiful, healing psalm for you to wrap around yourself like a warm blanket in your hurt, pain, and loss. It’s a promise and a heart cry that says, “The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” We don’t have a God who is distant; we have one who is close, active in love, compassionate, and perfect in comfort.

He is with you to care and comfort, but also to provide a safe place. What need is there for a safe place during grief? To be absolutely real, honest, and raw. To express every emotion that rises to the surface. Without fear of judgement or worry that you shouldn’t feel this way. He alone knows how you truly feel. He knows before you’ve even said or expressed anything, and He comes with compassion and love. He knows when you need to be listened to and understood. He knows when you need help working out what to do. The Psalmist says, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.”

Please, let me encourage you. Maybe you’ve been suppressing your hurt, anger, and sadness, thinking they're bad emotions. There are no bad emotions. Emotions help us express how we truly feel. If we suppress these, we don’t allow the healing process to be as fruitful as possible. You have a safe place to express how you truly feel. If you’re still unsure, let me remind you of one story in the Bible.

Jesus, God Himself, in the garden of Gethsemane, in the presence of His Father, cries in anguish, in pain, ‘I don’t want this! Please let it pass from me!’. Jesus Himself was real and raw with how He felt. If He can be, then you definitely can be too!

Response:

Maybe you’re unsure how you feel and what to express. Take some time to read through the Psalms and let them become your heart cry to a compassionate and comforting God.

Tomorrow we’ll learn about the God who continues to bring comfort over months and years.