Mar 01 2022

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

In the opening to his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul talks about God's goodness to him and the church throughout their trials. While they faced many difficulties and suffered greatly, they took comfort in Jesus. As their sufferings abounded, so did their comfort. Today, we'll look at what it means to find consolation in Jesus.

Think about a time when you endured great hardship. In the midst of it, did you find consolation in Jesus? For me, there are hardships in which I did and those in which I didn't. Whether or not Christ consoled me depended on whether or not I made the decision to trust Him, even when it seemed like everything around me was falling apart. Paul's words remind us that we each have the opportunity to find consolation in Jesus, regardless of our circumstances. Jesus will console us—but we must seek Him first.

What kind of consolation does Jesus offer us? It is different from the world's consolation, which is fleeting. The world tells us to console our hearts with alcohol, drugs, overeating, overspending, or binge-watching television. But Jesus presents a different path for us. He says that we can be satisfied and comforted in Him alone. We don't have to fall into the sins of this world to be consoled in the midst of our trials. Instead, Jesus offers us peace. He gives us the ability to rejoice in the midst of deep trials, and He helps us to be still, resting in the fact that He is God.

How do we find that kind of consolation? It begins by calling out to the Lord to help us. The Corinthians and Paul were not consoled after their suffering, but rather, in the midst of it. Christ made it possible for them to endure. He was not merely a light at the end of the tunnel, but the One who made it possible for them to keep pressing on. He did not turn His back from suffering, but instead, went to the cross and gave up His life, that He might enter into our pain and console us in the midst.

If you are experiencing a trial, ask the Lord to console you. Remember that He knows what suffering is like and He is near to the brokenhearted. Ask Him to show His love for you in a new way and to rejuvenate your heart.

Dear Lord, I thank you for consoling us in the midst of our suffering. You are not a distant God watching me suffer—instead, you stepped into suffering and died on the cross for me. Give me the strength to endure and the peace that surpasses all understanding. I love you, Jesus. In your name, amen.

Feb 28 2022

The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. :

This verse is an encouragement to wait patiently for the Lord, and to seek Him. As our souls seek God, we will experience His goodness even in the period of waiting. Today, we'll think through this verse to understand how it affects the way we live.

This is a promise that the Lord will be good to those who wait for Him. We do not trust Him in vain; He will prove His faithfulness to us over and over. So even if it feels like we've waited forever for God to give us a breakthrough, we can still enjoy the riches of knowing Him.

To enjoy those riches, though, we must continue to seek Him. We should not let a period of waiting turn into weariness. It can be easy to lose hope that the Lord will move in our lives when it seems as though nothing is happening as we expected. But we can continue to trust in Him and His faithfulness.

We exercise this trust through prayer. Praying to the Lord means that we spend time with Him, and spending time with the Lord shows that we want to be with Him regardless of how we feel. Even if we're disappointed by something in our lives, we should still spend time with the Lord, trusting that He will work everything out for the good.

When we make up our minds to seek God even when things are difficult, we will be reminded of the many ways that He has proven Himself to be faithful. We will no longer be in a period of waiting for something; rather, we will be able to experience intimacy with the Lord as He works on our hearts and draws us closer to Him.

If you are in a period of waiting, make up your mind to hope in the Lord. He loves you and He is working for the good. Your current suffering, whatever you are going through, is temporary and His joys are forever. Seek Him and ask Him to sustain you and He will answer.

Dear Lord, I thank you for being so good to me. You are my hope in all periods of waiting. You are my salvation and my strength. Help me to rest in you and find joy even as I wait. I love you, Jesus. In your name, amen.


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