Comfort In Christ

As humans, we always strive for comfort. Everyone has different comforts; for some people it's completely comfortable to talk to new people, go places that you've never been, or experience things you have never done before, but for others those are terrifying and frustrating.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

We aren't always comfortable because things don't always happen in the way we want. A lot of times we relate comfort with things not changing. We usually think of change as big events like graduating, getting married, moving, etc. But change is happening every day in each of our lives. We are learning knew things, meeting new people, creating new projects and eating new foods. Change is not always bad, actually it usually leads to something better. Life is not a standstill, there is a point to life, we are striving for something. And what is it that we are striving for? Heaven.

Philippians 3:13-14

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

How does one strive for something if they are never changing? We should want to be uncomfortable because that creates change and change can help us grow. Along with that, we should constantly be striving to change our relationship with Christ. We should be reading our Bible, listening to sermons and songs and learning from them. We should be growing in our knowledge and understanding of God every single day, by prayer and devotion. We should surround ourselves with community and learn together in Bible studies. We should be facing uncomfortable encounters to tell others about Christ. We should be learning new ways to praise and please God. These aren't easy things to do. We get distracted and have to learn how to make them fit into our lives, but they are important to do. We may get intimidated, scared, or nervous, but that okay.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

We don't get to choose when we are comfortable or not. God makes those decisions. We don't always like it; we may try to run away from it like Jonah, or hide like Moses, or be confused like Samuel, or try to counteract it with hate like Saul. No matter what we do though, Christ will use us how he plans. We can't do anything to change that.

John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Doing God's will may not always be what makes us comfortable. It may make us frustrated with God for not allowing us to be happy. We may try and try again to go back to when we were comfortable. But we won't be able to, because life keeps moving and we keep changing. We may not be good at first but the more we face the things that make us uncomfortable the more we become comfortable with them. We all know the saying, "Practice makes perfect," but that's not necessarily the case. We may never be perfect at what God is calling us to do, but He will be with us through it all. Practice does make us more comfortable with something, and comfort brings out confidence to do it better and better. While comfort can be a tricky thing, because it can be different for everyone. There is one form of comfort that is the same for everyone, and its the best form of comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

" Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

So try to have comfort when you are having a tough time, by leaning on God and trusting in His plan for your life (easier said than done). He will bring you out of difficult times, and you will have growth through that experience. You will be able to use that to glorify God, whether that be helping a friend in similar situations, telling unbelievers about Christ, or growing closer to Him. No matter what happens in our lives, we have the comfort of Christ's perfect promise. A promise that he fulfilled! He died for the sins of you and me. Regardless of the uncomfortable times in our life, Christ loves us. He gave His life so that we may have comfort and life forever in heaven.

Psalm 119:50

In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises,

for they have kept me alive!