Dogs, teddy bears and ice cream sundaes

What do they have in common?

You guessed it!  These 3 bring us comfort!

Oh, I could’ve made a much longer list. What are some things that bring you comfort?

Recently, I was asked, “Where do you look for comfort?”

Do you turn to your spouse, friends, material things, food?  The question really hit me between the eyes and made me think.

When life goes awry, where do you turn?

There’s nothing wrong with indulging over an ice cream sundae if you’ve had a bad day.  Or loving on your precious doggie when you feel everyone else in the world is against you. 

Some of us may escape to play our favorite games on the computer or watch hours of mindless TV shows where we can just “veg” and not think about our problems.  Or be glued to our phones for hours.

All of these are coping mechanisms.

Maybe I should rephrase the question.  Where do you run when life doesn’t go your way?  When life deals you a bad hand or you get devastating news? 

I can look back over my life and think of numerous times when I was so down or devastated about a situation.  Even if I was so upset or had spent time crying, I’d always try to be better before picking up the phone to call my mom.

But it would never fail. Mom would “see through” my fake attempts at normalcy, and my feeble attempts to cover up my true feelings.  She would hear the pain or hurt in my voice, even over the telephone.  She could always “read” me.  And then, she would want to know the issue so she could help and comfort.

When I think back to when I first became a parent and was so overwhelmed, wanting to do everything right and not mess up, I can vividly recall those first few weeks of my son’s new life as an infant.

If you’re a parent, then you’ve experienced firsthand when your baby is crying, and you are struggling to comfort.  You hurt when your little one hurts; you want to soothe and meet his/her need; you want the pain or distress to go away; and you do everything in your power to “fix it”.  You struggle to figure out the source of the distress.  Is it hunger?  Is it pain?  Is it being overly tired? 

For most of us dads and moms, it doesn’t take long to “learn our child’s language”.  We know that certain cry that equates to “feed me now” or “I need you to hold me” or “something has frightened me”. 

We might not be a quick study with another baby or toddler, but after just a few days/weeks any mom knows the certain type of cry for HER baby.

It didn’t take long to learn MY baby’s looks, cries, coos, sounds, sniffles, body language and on and on.

Even more than we humans know our own precious children’s distress calls, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS HIS CHILDREN.  He knows what makes you tick better than anyone.  He knows, before you even tell Him, what is distressing you. Doesn’t it make sense to run to Him FIRST for comfort?

It’s exactly what He desires for us to do.

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”  Isaiah 66:13

More than anyone on the face of the earth, I was blessed that my precious mom was a nurturer and knew how to provide comfort for me.

God, in all His splendor and divine holiness and perfect character, knows even more than the BEST mother how to provide comfort for His child’s hurting heart.

After all, He’s the ONLY One who can truly satisfy and provide meaningful comfort because He knows us best.

He is truly our “refuge and strength…a very present help in time of trouble” (Psalm 46:1-2).

I’m blessed to have a wonderful spouse who I can turn to who I know loves me and is committed to me.

I’m thankful to God for bringing friends into my life that care, listen to me and pray for me.

But at the end of the day, the TRUE source of comfort is God.  He alone can be trusted to come alongside and say, “Trust me” or wrap His mighty, loving arms around us and remind us that even if the circumstances are difficult or painful, He is there to carry us and see us through.  He continually provides strength, perseverance and comfort for the journey.

“Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!  For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.”  Isaiah 49:

I still may be tempted at times to turn to the ice cream sundae, another yummy treat or maybe even go on a shopping spree.  Even when I do, I realize all of these are a temporary “fix”.  None of them bring me lasting peace or comfort.

Just knowing God is near and that I can trust Him to know what’s best for me, but also to know His character is such that He longs to strengthen and help me, gives me security, peace and comfort.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

As I heard a preacher say once, when you know and walk with God, He is as close as your right hand.  There is no more comforting thought than that.

My Lord LONGS to show compassion and comfort me in my distress.

I love Isaiah 30:18 in the New Living Translation: “So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion.  For the Lord is a faithful God.  Blessed are those who wait for His help.” 

Just thought we might all need a reminder.  He WAITS for us to come to HIM for help and comfort.

The verses below remind us that even when God had to judge His people and send them packing to Babylon to learn hard lessons, His judgement only lasts for a short time.  He is a compassionate God that longs to comfort and be a refuge for each of us.

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double for all her sins.

Before I lay my head on the pillow tonight, I’ll be thanking and praising Him for being my ultimate, permanent and perfect source of comfort.