Tag: comfort

We Are Not Without Comfort

 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:26-27

 

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he reminded his disciples that they would not be left orphaned or without comfort.

I cannot think of a time when we have needed more comfort than these times that we are living in. Rising suicide rates, rising mass shootings, rising divorce rates, rising fear, rising anger, rising uncertainty, and rising numbers of those who do not yet believe in Jesus Christ.

We live in a time of fearful reality that threatens to harden our hearts or infuriate us to vengefully react and create bigger problems than solutions.

For anyone who dares to cling to the hope in Jesus Christ, there is grace to be reminded that we are not without comfort. Jesus Christ told us that he overcame the world. We serve a Lord and Savior who is not oblivious or dismissive of our great pain and wounds of our gruesome reality.

We are not without comfort.

We do not have all the answers. In fact, we have more and more questions than we have answers. We do not have a blueprint of what the next moment holds not to even consider what tomorrow will hold. There is uncertainty everywhere around us. Still, we are not without comfort.

Friend, the Word of God remains faithful as God himself. The power and authority of God has been proven time and time again in different ways throughout our life. Indeed, we serve a good, good father, a merciful father, a gracious father, a merciful father, a loving father, a promise-keeping father, a way-making father, a miracle-working father, a mind-renewing father, a heart-cleansing father, a chain-breaking father, a compassionate father, who has not left us by ourselves to endure the pain and suffering of this unpredictable world. In this lies our comfort.

Be reminded today, that we have been given a gift of comfort by the God of comfort, who reached down from heaven in the Person of Jesus Christ and left us with the Person of the Holy Spirit after Christ’s resurrection. So we know, there is nothing that is outside the power and authority of God. In this, lies our comfort.

God sees all and knows all and most importantly as it pertains to our present groans, God, through the Holy Spirit is a God of all comfort. We are not without comfort in Jesus name. Amen.

Release

release

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth , but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Ephesians 4:29

There is nothing wrong with being outspoken. In fact, I believe we need outspoken people to speak truth and courage into our lives when we need to hear it the most. But being outspoken, and releasing corruption into the atmosphere are two separate things.

I would know, since I used to be ‘outspoken,’ then wisdom taught me to shut my mouth when my tongue feels loose in anger and foolishness.

I know now why wiser ones admonish the young by telling them not to say anything at all when they have nothing nice to say. I wonder if they too learned it from the Word above.

Often times, we are told to release and let go of pains, worries and stress. We tell each other to release the anger of the wrongs committed against us and to let it go.

Friend, I wonder if you and I can absorb a new message of release today.

What have you released today?

Have you released prayers, love, and faith, into the atmosphere? Have you released encouragement and compassion to those around you today? Have you released a need for another in more need than you? Have you released kindness? Have you released wisdom? Have you released peace? Have you released warmth? Have you released hope today?

In a new age where everyone is concerned about what is in it for them, it’s as though we are more inclined to hold on to all these things for ourselves because we feel like we could use all of it more than the next person.

But I urge you today to heed the voice of God and do what you are called to do as a follower of Christ. Release…

Release a helping hand, release a listening ear, release a message of hope to those around you and be a witness to how God turns things around through your release.

I wonder if an overflow of blessings from heaven on your behalf, is waiting to be activated by your own release. I wonder how much more the Spirit will pour into you as you pour into others.

May God grant us a willing heart to release good things for the sake of others in Jesus name. Amen.