Finding Comfort
Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice. Job 1:4-5
Have you ever had a shower where the water temperature was simply perfect? Every so often on the weekend, I will find the shower as a place of refuge. It is something about being clean that just makes me feel good, and when you are almost done, you just sit under the water and enjoy its feel on your skin and the warmth it brings across your body. There’s a feeling of peace and contentment that overcomes me. It is such a feeling some might call one of the greatest pleasures in life. For me, I never want to get out, but of course, there’s my wife that I need to take to work or grandchildren I need to tend to. Nonetheless, the moment is not forgotten, and it brings such comfort to my being.
Lately, I have also found comfort in my relationship with God. It is not that I am not challenged in my walk of faith. In fact, there are numerous times that I will find myself struggling to meet the standard that God would have for me. Comfort should not be confused with being relaxed. Quite opposite, I continue to work on the person God wants me to become, who is a better steward of Him. It is humbling to remember that even amidst my struggles, His grace is sufficient. One can think of Paul’s words about weakness, which was preached at my church this past week, where he says, “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) This time in my life with Christ is of great comfort to me.
We find comfort with God when we know our actions are with the intent of connecting with Him. Comfort is defined as a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. I love this definition because when I think about things that were not Godly, the exact opposite feelings would overcome me. In reading the book of Job, this part of the story feels a bit overlooked. To me, the pastor always advances to the conversation between Satan and God about Job being “the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” (Job 1:8b) But reading the story, notice the life of Job before all went to pieces. The second half of verse 5 says, “For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice. We did not need to hear from God who Job was, Job had already showed who he was. To revere in God was his regular practice. When you do something ‘just cause,’ that is not due to it is a strain or an issue. To Job, it was comforting to know he was honoring a God not just for himself but also his children. Sometimes, I need to remember to be equally as disciplined and loving of God as Job is, and perhaps you might get that impression as well.
Comfort with God is about finding a rhythm that shows both a love for and a continual commitment to pursue Him. When we pray every day, say grace over a meal, make decisions with His involvement, and read His word, it shows reverence to Him, and as will build our consistency in those things, we feel as that old church hymnal says, “Blessed assurance. Jesus is mine.” Let us focus on doing those things that bring us a continual connection with God. What part of daily ritual will you reflect on God? What habit can you start today with the intent of connecting with Him? My prayer is that we are as Job focus on a regular practice to gain a greater comfort with God. Amen.