I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
The Source of Comfort
When you find yourself in pain, it’s natural to seek comfort. Everyone wants the agony of injury, illness, or heartbreak to disappear as quickly as possible.
If you touch a hot stove, you might grab a ice for your burn. If you get caught in a rainstorm, you might immediately look for shelter. If you experience the loss of someone you love, you might do whatever you can to distract yourself from grief.
We can also seek things like food, shopping, work, drugs, alcohol, technology, or entertainment as mind-numbing agents to attempt to ease our suffering.
But only one God can truly bring us comfort:
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He 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 1:3-4 NLT
When Paul and Timothy use the word “comfort,” they’re describing a God who comforts, consoles, encourages, helps, strengthens, instructs, and refreshes. That’s the God He was to Paul and Timothy, and that’s the God He still is.
No matter how bad things get, God can comfort you in a way that no one else can. You can lean on Him.
And because God’s Spirit is within His people, His people can also comfort others. He works in them and through them to offer a hope that’s beyond any present or future pain.
Are you hurting physically, mentally, or emotionally? There’s a God who cares. There are people who want to help. So cry out to the source of all comfort. You can trust Him with your pain.
Live Prepared
Pause and think of the people who, at a moment’s notice, have to be ready for anything. Maybe your list includes first responders, the military, athletes, teachers, parents, pilots, surgeons, or pastors.
But does your list include you?
As followers of Jesus, we are called to…
“…Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
We can’t expect people to observe what Jesus has commanded unless we are also observing His commands ourselves.
Do we want people to learn about God’s love? Then we need to show God’s love to people. Do we want people to learn about Jesus’ compassion? Then we need to be compassionate. Do we want people to give generously? Then we need to be good stewards of our own money. Do we want people to study God’s Word? Then we need to study it for ourselves.
When you give Jesus control over your life, you allow His ...
