SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
THOUGHT: I wrote about comfort another time in the last month or so, having had the ah-ha that the word has the same Latin root as fortification. Comfort, it turns out, is a strong word. It has more to do with bolstering than babying; more to do with resilience than relief. That’s bad news for you if you, like me, have wanted relief from God over some situation or circumstance. But it’s also good news because, if you think about the long term, strength is better than just relief. Relief might just keep you where you are, while strength from God will get you to a different place.
Even the familiar Psalm 23:4 takes on new meaning – your rod and staff comfort me. I am strengthened by your strong presence. That strength gives me confidence that, even when I am in a dark, scary, low place, I don’t need to be afraid. And someday, I’ll emerge from that valley and it will be my privilege to fortify another who’s feeling lost in the dark.
PRAYER: Oh God, we sometimes think our own stories are about defeat and affliction when really, they are about you building into us strength, courage, fortification, and resilience. More spiritual strength is comfort! Watching your power to deliver, then turning around for another who needs to hear your story and ours is what you’ve called us to.
Amy released a full-length book in early 2021, Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. Maybe you’d like to check it out here.
asipoblog.com 