God comforts believers expecting that they, in turn, will extend that heaven-sent comfort toward others during their times of need. Believers are admonished to “comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, and be patient toward all men” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Stronger believers are encouraged to bear the infirmities of those who are weak (Romans 15:1). When one believer weeps as a result of the trials and troubles of this life, the body of Christ should weep with that brother or sister (Romans 12:15). Every member of the body of Christ should be available to the strengthening and support of other members of the body, for in doing so, believers fulfil the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
Far too many people wrongly assume that the Bible lacks relevance in addressing modern problems. However, the Bible declares that things written aforetime were written for comfort in present troubles. Though the Bible does not deal specifically with every modern trouble, the work of God in past believers’ lives offers the comfort necessary to face any trouble. This is one of many reasons why it is imperative that believers read the entire Bible and not limit it to the New Testament or certain epistles within it. God’s workings in the lives of Job, Abraham, and Jeremiah can offer just as much comfort as God’s workings in the lives of Paul or John. No matter the trouble faced, an open Bible with a receptive heart serves as man’s greatest opportunity for experiencing the ever allusive comfort.
The Bible never directly addresses the Lord Jesus as “the Comforter,” yet the Lord alluded to this title. The Lord told His followers that the coming of the Holy Ghost would be God’s means of sending them “another Comforter” (John 14:16). Evidently, the Lord Jesus served as the Comforter and the Holy Ghost would function as another Comforter. During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus worked in the lives of those who followed Him. He was their Comforter. When He went to the Father, the Father sent “another Comforter” and He is the Holy Ghost. Each person who is born again by the grace of God has the Holy Ghost dwelling within (Romans 8:9). When troubles come, and they will, the believer has within himself a person of the Godhead that specializes in comforting those afflicted.
The Bible clearly states that all comfort comes either directly or indirectly from the Lord. The Bible says that He is “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Any true and lasting comfort man receives originates with and through the Lord (James 1:17), and the comfort given by God can comfort each of us in any and all tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:4). Unfortunately, man seems to think that every problem he faces requires a different area of study with various solutions. Yet, the Bible contradicts this line of thinking by stating that every tribulation has only one source of comfort. It is important to note that the comfort received by one person can be passed on to help others regardless of the trouble faced. That is the power of God’s comfort!
The world places a premium on the concept of living comfortably. For instance, people desire comfortable clothes, comfortable beds, comfortable cars, comfortable furniture, etc. The list is unending. There are even foods designated as “comfort foods.” Yet, with this great emphasis upon comfort, the world seems to experience so little of true comfort. So, what exactly is comfort? Why is speaking of comfort so trendy and yet so hard to achieve? The word comfort is easily defined by breaking it down into two parts: com and fort. The prefix com means “with” and the word fort means “strength.” Simply put, comfort involves a strength that a person can carry with him. Immediately, every Christian should recognize that very little true comfort exists in this world. True comfort stems from the Lord and not that offered outside of Him.
God created Lucifer as a perfect, holy being. Unfortunately, when Lucifer willfully chose to rebel against his Creator, his actions eventually severed the relationship for all of God’s creation. As a result of Lucifer’s rebellion, he became God’s archenemy as well as the enemy of all of God’s saints too. This is why Satan uses every tool in his spiritual arsenal to lure the believer into sin and rebellion. It is important to understand how a simple temptation leads to some dire consequences. A man’s lust draws him away from God and tempts him to fulfil his lustful desires. When lust is fully conceived, it brings forth sin. Repeatedly sinning hardens the heart and lessens the believer’s resolve. God always makes a way of escape according to 1 Corinthians 10:13. The child of God need only look for that way out because it will always be there. Like the Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 4,the believer ought to respond to temptation with the word of God. If the Christian submits to God and resists the Devil, the Devil will flee rather than face defeat (James 4:7).
Contrary to today’s all-inclusive teachings, no one comes into this world as a child of God. In fact, the Bible plainly teaches that God becomes the Father of only those who trust Christ as personal Saviour. This new relationship between the Father and His children results from a personal, conscious, willing decision. As the Father of His children, God at times finds it necessary to chasten (or correct) believers. No chastening is enjoyable, especially that from an all-knowing Father. Unfortunately, when God begins administering His corrective hand, far too many Christians quit. Consequently, those who quit on the Lord never experience the by-product of God’s chastening—“the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Christians should never take the grace of God in vain by thinking that simply being saved pleases the Lord. God wants and expects much more. His chastening hand confirms the believer’s wrongdoing and directs him in the right direction. When God cares enough to correct a man’s wrongdoing, it is an uncaring response to quit. The believer who loves the Lord will accept the correction and grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.
Most people naturally want to be understood, loved, and accepted by others. Yet, sometimes no matter how hard one tries, some people will never accept those who replace the worldly pleasures of this life with a sacrificial service for the Saviour. Worldly people hate those who want to do right and live right. This makes the heartache and anguish resulting from the spreading of falsehoods sometimes difficult to bear. Yet, how should a Christian respond when wrongfully attacked for simply trying to do right? According to the Bible, it is admirable to suffer when wrongly accused. Again, the Bible provides Christ as the perfect example of wrongfully suffering. There was no sin in the Saviour, nor was there guile found in His mouth. Yet, He endured more grief than anyone who has ever lived. How did He handle it? When He was reviled, He did not respond accordingly. When He suffered, He did not threaten those who caused His pain. Believers are called to follow the steps of the Saviour. When people falsely accuse believers, they must endure, considering the great miscarriage of justice endured by Christ.
The Thessalonian believers chose to willingly trust Christ as Saviour and to obediently become His followers. According to Paul’s account, these believers endured great difficulties because of their faithfulness to the Lord. Paul commended them for their patience and faith for enduring these persecutions and tribulations. Unfortunately, far too many Christians today are unwilling to live godly (2 Timothy 3:12) for fear that living the Christian life will bring persecution and ridicule. These believers in Thessalonica understood what it was like to have people scoff at them for their boldness in the faith. They understood what it felt like to be mocked and cursed for their unwillingness to compromise. This is why Paul praised them. They endured the persecutions and tribulations with patience and faith. The world needs more Thessalonian type believers in the church today.
Prior military personnel know the difficulties associated with functioning as a good soldier. Their training focuses on teaching them how to endure physical and emotional hardships unique to their service. They learn how to follow and obey their chain of command and frequently do things commanded without always understanding the how and why. Paul’s letter to Timothy relates the Christian life to that of a soldier. Timothy, as well as every other faithful Christian, is challenged with difficulties based solely on the fact that he is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul instructed Timothy how to react during those times when the difficulties arise. According to Paul, Timothy was to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” The Christian life is not supposed to be a life of ease. Fortunately, with Christ in focus, things take on a clearer focus with a notable purpose and plan. The Christian life contains “hardness” but submission to the true Commander in Chief helps the suffering seem like a light affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17). Like the good soldier, the faithful Christian needs to learn how to endure hardness in order to avoid bitterness and bewilderment during life’s battles.
