Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
Last June, I sat in the hospital with one of my children alone. Only one parent was allowed at a time, and there was no cell service there. It was a fear-filled time with so much still unknown. It was a time to mourn. Now, eight months later, I can tell you that Jesus walked us through that difficult time.
When we were overwhelmed, He was the Rock that we could run to for stability. When we needed a word of encouragement or a shoulder to cry on, someone would call or text at just the right moment. His Word was full of hope and help, giving us strength to carry on. When it came to sleep, the words of a song played like a lullaby, comforting us as we drifted off. God would literally give us a song in the night.
The Apostle Paul knew this kind of comfort, too. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”
There really is no one who can comfort like God can. Hugs, prayer, and even meals throughout a difficult time are wonderful, but they cannot bring peace to a fretful heart. Phone calls and texts can be supportive, but feeling God’s presence with you in a situation only He can resolve is the ultimate support. Running to God in a crisis results in knowing Him as the God of all comfort. When you lean into Him, you learn that He is more than enough for anything this world throws at you.
Because of the compassionate comfort received from the Lord, Paul recognized that he was equipped to comfort others. He did not speak of God as an abstract concept, removed far from the situation, but somehow working it all out. No, Paul could speak of God as the one who weeps with those who weep, who pulls them into His arms to sing songs in the night. Paul spoke as one miraculously spared in the storm by the One who calmed his heart before He told the waves to be still. He could reassure those suffering like he had that God would be there and be enough for them, too. Out of Paul’s brokenness, he could minister much better to others suffering their own brokenness.
Not only did I experience one child in the hospital last June, but our family has also been working through another child’s new diagnosis. She has been hospitalized five times in the last two years, but finally, we see some light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. There is something so hard about watching your children suffer and not being able to fix it for them. However, finding God’s comfort and a deeper faith throughout the storms redeems the journey. Proverbs 3:5-6 became a lifeline for each next step rather than just a verse we have known since we were children. God can be trusted. He will direct us as we acknowledge Him. He is more than enough.
From this amazing comfort received from the Lord came words of comfort and hope for others. I love reading and rereading devotionals. I have several that I reread every year. Some, I come back to now and then for a refresher. It is a blessing to open a devotional and read something that seems supernaturally to apply to my situation, in just the perfect moment. Even though I enjoy offering much for free through my blog, I wanted to offer a printed option that could be used for much longer than you can find on the internet. It is also a blessing to be able to share something tangible with those walking through a trial. For now, the Kindle option is available, but the paperback version will be available on March 6th on Amazon, or March 11th through me in person. My prayer is that this 30-day devotional will point you to the only One who can comfort your heart with peace for every storm. Prayerfully, it will tune your heart to hear His Song in the Night. Here is the link for the Kindle version, and I will post a separate post when the paperback becomes available.
Blessings, my friends!
His Song in the Night 