Thought for the Day

An email sent to your Bible study, a text to your best friend, a call to your sister....you are going through a hard time and you finally have to let it all out. And then you sit back and think, did I say too much? Are they going to think I've become "that" friend, the one that is always having something go wrong in life? So you quickly apologize for being too transparent, too vulnerable, too overwhelming...you feel you've probably been smothersome and bothersome. You are worried they are going to think you have become needy...and then you stop before you let satan get the door cracked even more...because you are growing, you are counting your blessings, you are leaning on others and you are leaning on scripture, so you turn back to scripture, and you read: 

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. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 1:3-11 ESV)

Maybe you have experienced moments where it seems others do not care, maybe you have felt that your problems were insignificant or blown out of proportion, maybe you have been going through a valley and felt loneliness, maybe you have been called needy, maybe your pride keeps you from talking, but whatever it may be that is keeping you from seeking comfort from others, you can not let it anymore.  Scripture clearly states, "who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those;" Bless the Father who provides me with comfort so that I can comfort my sister, my best friend, my inner circle, my family...my friends, my students....I am comforted so that I can be a comfort. Do I reveal my innermost thoughts to everyone? No! Do I send just anyone the most transparent and vulnerable situations going on in my life? No! Do I need to apologize for pouring my soul out to my best friend, my sister? No! Scripture is also very clear about who to share with and who to confide in, and a lot of our doubts and insecurities have come through confiding in the wrong people. If they are truly your sister, your best friend, they will be there with encouragement and comfort, in all circumstances, and they will lovingly point you in the direction you should go, they will be the ones praying when you least expect it, and they will in love let you know if you have moved too far from the truth. You see, we should rest in the assurance that those who love us, they care for us, and we trust that they are there to comfort in all situations, that they do not see us as needy or bothersome, but as a sister reaching out for a hand to help walk them through, and they know that when the roles are reversed, there will be someone there for them, holding their hand out, ready to comfort them, through whatever twist in their journey life may bring. And the God and Father of all comfort, will comfort us, so we can comfort others....Amen!