Our world is at least occasionally visited by loss, tragedy and sorrow. Consequently, we’re in need of being comforted … and bringing comfort to others. But how does this happen?
Comfort, in the biblical sense means to strengthen. When God comforts us or we comfort others there is a strength that is imparted, enabling the hurting person to move through their sorrow in a more positive, healthy fashion.
2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 provides a description of how this works. “We give thanks 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.”
God is the source of all comfort, and the comfort that we receive from Him, we in turn are to share with others. But this isn’t always as easy as it might seem.
Joni Erickson Tada, who became a quadriplegic through a swimming accident, tells of two of her girlfriends visiting her in the hospital. As they entered Joni’s room, they were shocked at the sight of their terribly injured friend.
Speechless, they stared awkwardly, then ran out of the room. Joni could hear one of them vomiting and the other sobbing. (Of course, someone should’ve prepared the poor girls for the encounter!
On a positive note, Queen Victoria heard that a commoner had lost her baby. Having experienced the same sorrow, she decided to extend her sympathy. She visited the grieving woman and spent a significant amount of time with her. When the queen left, neighbours asked what she had said to her.
“Nothing,” replied the grieving mother. “She simply put her hands on mine, and we silently wept together.”
The Queen had accomplished what is taught in Romans 12:15 — “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Most of us struggle with knowing what to say or do ... so sometimes we say nothing and stay away, which is probably the worst of all. While giving respect for a person’s right to privacy, it’s usually good to try to make some sort of contact.
One of my favourite stories is about a little girl who did just that. She came home from the neighbour’s house where her little friend had died.
“Why did you go?” asked her father. “To comfort my friend’s mother!” she said.
The father, now quite concerned asked, “What could you do to comfort her?” She answered, “I climbed into her lap and cried with her.”
“Can I see another’s woe, and not be in sorrow, too? Can I see another’s grief, and not seek for kind relief?” William Blake
Pastor Ross Helgeton is senior pastor at Erskine Evangelical Free Church.
— Faith & Reflection