Our Father of Compassion

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

1 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

Have you ever come out of a very difficult season in life and looked back with deep gratitude?

Sounds bizarre, but… it can happen.

Quite miraculously, and beyond our wildest imagination, times of great pain, heartache, or loneliness can turn into times of sweet, unfathomable joy and great comfort.

Looking back, we may still bear the bittersweet scars from these seasons in our lives.

But what makes these tough times so bittersweet, you may wonder…

Perhaps you remember the one special person who came alongside you to give you strength along the journey—giving you the hug you desperately needed or a meal you didn’t have to think about. Or maybe when you felt so alone in your darkest valley, you remember how God, “your Father of compassion,” lavished upon you His perfect love, gathered your tears every night, and comforted your soul like no person ever could.

And when we eventually come out on the other side, we realise, with deep gratitude, that the pain and sorrow have brought us closer to Jesus, making us stronger, wiser… and quite mysteriously, more beautiful.

The healed wounds meant to weaken and destroy us, when yielded to God’s healing power, became a beautiful tale, weaving a golden, everlasting thread of His redemption, grace, and unfailing love through our lives.

Is there someone you know who needs comfort today?

If so, comfort them. Simply be present in their time of pain or heartache, offering them your heart and your hands to serve them in their time of need. But above all, offer them the only One they really need— “the God of all comfort.”

“He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 CSB

“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”

-          Henri Nouwen (Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life)

Dear Father God,

I praise You for being my God of all comfort and my Father of compassion. Thank You that You comfort me in my times of pain and sorrow, so that I too can be a vessel of Your comfort to those in need. I receive now Your eternal comfort, compassion, and love for me.

Show me who needs comforting today and how I can serve them where they are. Open my eyes and ears to know how I can show them Your compassion and love.

In Jesus' Name, Amen