The Comfort of God
READ: Psalm 25:16-21
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted…”
Loneliness is something that a lot of people face in our world today. The dictionary defines loneliness as “being without company; cut off from others…” But loneliness doesn't have to be just physical separation from others; it can also be emotionally and/or spiritually cut off from others.
Since before I was born, my father was very sick with a kidney disease. It never really affected me (since he acted like the disease wasn’t actually there) until about three years ago when he died. My father and I were really close; in fact, we were best friends. When he died it was like my whole world fell apart. I felt like I didn’t have anyone to turn to for help, not even God. I thought God was against me, since He let my father die. It took me a long time to realize that if only I’d turn to Him, He would take my loneliness away.
It wasn’t until a year after my father died that I began to read my Bible again. I found comfort in His word and began to understand that He didn’t take my father away to hurt me. He took him to free my father from his pain, and this world of sorrow. I also saw that God still loved me, even though there was a time when I hated Him.
The loneliness that I felt has gone away now. Not that I don’t miss my father; the pain of his death will never go away in this life, but knowing that God took him out of love, comforts my pain. And the promise of God's love and eternal life comforts my spirit.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Why do I so often turn away from God in my time of need? How can we start trusting that the decisions God makes for our lives are for the best?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Pray for God’s help in time of need. Turn to Him and let Him comfort you. Ask for the strength to trust His decisions.