The Comfort of God

A few years ago my wife had to have a potentially cancerous tumor in her neck removed. Hospital waiting rooms are a hard place, but the nearness of God is often most felt in those times. While I sat in the waiting room during her surgery I prayed and wrote in my journal. God brought peace and encouragement from His word.

​That journal entry is the basis for this post. ​

Have you ever had a trial that overwhelmed your life?


You know the kind. When first faced with the trial, it is like a huge cliff in your path, stopping all forward momentum. Your life comes to a screeching halt and from your vantage point you see no way around it.


If you are like me, when you face trials you are quick to look at the whole problem. We never merely look at today’s problem; we look at tomorrow's, and then the next day, etc. As we look at the endless problems that could come our way we think, "I can’t continue”. We don’t feel that we have the strength to pass through our problem.


A few years ago the Lord allowed me to go through one of these trials. In the midst of it, God used the words of Jeremiah to instruct my heart and bring great comfort.

​
Jeremiah lived a hard life, filled with trials. He was utterly dismayed and didn’t know how he could continue (see Lamentations 3:1-20). But even in the midst of trials, he found hope. This same hope is available to us today.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
Lamentations 3:21-23


Here is what God encouraged me with through these verses:


Today’s strength is sufficient for today’s problems. Tomorrow God will give new strength for tomorrow’s problems.


God doesn’t want us to look at the big problem (tomorrow’s problems, next week, next year, etc). God wants us to trust Him for today.


God will give us the grace and strength to use for TODAY. And tomorrow, when tomorrows problems come, He will give us new grace and strength for tomorrow. And the next day, He will do it again. He will come with more grace and strength.


He doesn’t want us to worry about tomorrow. He wants us to trust him for TODAY.


No matter how huge the obstacle is, we walk through it one day at a time. God will give the strength to get through TODAY. And as faithful as the rising of the sun, tomorrow God will give new strength to endure tomorrow’s trials.


“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning”


How great is our Lord who strengthens us each day!


Serving together,


Kyle Farran


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