Pursuing Comfort
What do you find comfort in?
Personally, I found comfort in "doing." I would distract myself with goals, achievements, and accomplishments in order to forget any failings, vulnerabilities, and wounds. What I was really chasing was an avenue to feel worthy. Some people gravitate to numbing with drugs or alcohol. Some people gravitate to excitement and adventure as a distraction. Some people just seek a life that removes any stress if possible. However, few people go to the source of ultimate comfort to gain strength and the supernatural peace that we all crave.
This is a previous prayer I prayed during one of my weak moments in life.
Oh how quickly I distance myself from You in my wanderings, and in my doubt. Oh how I long to go to you first without hesitation when I am hurting, when I am struggling, and in my frustrations.
It wasn’t until a few years after that prayer that I started to allow myself to feel uncomfortable emotions, and pray them to God. This was a major game-changer for me. It was definitely uncomfortable, but the momentary pain of feeling the sadness, anger, and grief produced freedom and healing from even deeper wounds that I allowed to rise to the surface. I was finally able to process the past hurt from the present hurt in the presence of God.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NKJV) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
How did I learn from my wounds prior to going through this new routine with the God of all comforts?
How often did I miss the experience of healing, freedom, and growth by blocking God’s comfort and healing power in my life? I found that the more I dug into past wounds and hurts, the more empathy I developed for others hurting. Those years of denying my own struggle prevented me from being there for others in their struggles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
It is important that we become real with ourselves and in turn real with God. We can run from pain and past wounds, but we can’t hide. They remain within us, holding us back from the freedom in Christ until we decide to grow from that pain through God’s strength and unconditional love.
Jesus voluntarily went through intense suffering and torment so we would experience eternal life in perfect peace and happiness. He took on the sin of the world and paid the penalty of that sin so that whoever places their trust in Jesus for eternal life will have a permanent place in Heaven for eternity. This cannot be earned or lost. Not only did He give us this amazing gift, but He also proved His love for us and his relatability to our own traumas and sufferings in our own lives. He is with us always and never leaves us, even in the worst moments of our lives.
Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.