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Across the Pastor’s Desk by George Marin

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God” — II Corinthians 1:3-4.

There will be times in life when you cannot find or receive comfort from people — but, you will always find comfort in the Lord.

Jesus promised his followers, in John 14, “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.” He was speaking in the context that he would be departing from the earth to resume his place at the right hand of the Father. He would be physically leaving his disciples. After more than three years of walking alongside them daily, they would see him no more.

Can you imagine the crushing emotions they were experiencing, perhaps even confusion and abandonment. These were awful, horrifying emotions churning within them, and then Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.”

What Jesus was truly telling them was that he would not leave them as orphans; that he was not abandoning them. In fact, he told them that it was necessary that he leave them so that the Holy Spirit would come to them.

The Holy Spirit is the comforter who is sent from the Father to comfort his people in all situations, times and circumstances. Our great God never leaves us without comfort.

He is our very present help in times of need. (Psalms 46:1) He is the one who David wrote about when he penned, “When I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil for you are with me” in Psalm 23.

He is the one who makes this declaration over his people, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10

Know this: that the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, does not come to simply make us comfortable in every situation. There are things that go against his will and purpose for our lives, and we should not become comfortable in those circumstances. To be clear, we should never be comfortable being outside of God’s will.

However, the good news is that he, in fact, brings us comfort in the most uncomfortable situations of life. He brings a comfort that is completely unmatched by any comfort in the human realm. We find true comfort, true solace, true life, only in him.

When all others and all other things of this present world fall short, every meaningful, healing and life-transforming comfort can always found in the Lord!

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.” — Isaiah 40:1

I love you — I’m in your corner!

George Marin is a pastor at Grace Christian Church in Albert Lea.