Finding comfort

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

During times of boredom or unhappiness, we seek things that give us comfort. A teen jilted by her boyfriend might find comfort in a quart of ice cream. A child bullied at school might seek comfort by shooting bad guys in a video game. A woman bored with her husband and stressed by her kids might get comfort from shopping for clothes and jewelry. A man pressured by conditions at work might find comfort in restoring an old car.

All of us need times of relief and relaxation. But if we’re not careful, these things, that we turn to for comfort, can become problems as well. Using food to make yourself feel good can lead to poor health. Hiding from the world in a video game can rob you of friends. Hobbies can eat up your time and money at an alarming rate.

We all need comfort when times are bad. Remember how Mom could make you feel better with just a hug and a few words of encouragement? When they need comfort, children go right to an adult that they trust. That adult is big and strong. That adult is smart and caring. Seen through the eyes of a child, that adult has the ability to make things all better.

But who do we turn to once we’ve grown up? By the time you’re a teenager, you realize that Mom and Dad are far from perfect. They don’t have all the answers; they can’t make your problems go away. When you need comfort, isn’t there something better than devouring a bucket of ice cream or buying yourself an expensive toy?

Absolutely there is! There is one person you can always go to for comfort. He is big and powerful. He is smart and loving. And He invites you to call Him ‘Father.’ Of course, I’m speaking about the LORD. And while you cannot crawl into His lap, He is close by, watching every moment of your life with great interest. Whenever you speak, He is listening. And whenever you attend worship or read His Book, the LORD speaks to you, offering words of comfort and peace. Our heavenly Father gives deep and lasting relief like nothing you can find on earth. To get the comfort that you hunger for, spend time with the only One who really can make things all better.