“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3 (NLT)
After a short hospital stay and surgery, I tucked myself away in my bedroom for a time of recovery. I remained there for several days, hidden away from the world. My faithful husband ran interference anytime someone wanted to see how I was doing or pop in for a visit. One particular day, a dear friend stopped by to drop off a basket of goodies. While leaving the gift on the porch, she texted and asked if she could come in and pray with me.
I texted back an apologetic “No.”
I’ve thought of that day many times since, trying to figure out why I didn’t invite my friend in. Sure, I hadn’t showered in days. The house was a wreck. Countless excuses stood between me and opening the door to my friend’s offer, but those weren’t the real reasons I didn’t want her to see me. The truth is, I felt like separating myself so others wouldn’t be burdened by what I was going through. I didn’t want anyone to see my suffering.
Suffering can cause us to feel isolated. I remember pushing people away because I wanted to be alone. Quiet time spent recovering isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes we need solitude so God can refill our hearts, bodies, and minds. But in our suffering, we must be careful not to isolate ourselves from the God, who created us and cares for us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 describes God as “our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.” That means when we’re in pain, he is our comfort. When we feel alone, he is our comfort. When we’re hurting or discouraged, he is our comfort. But we need to invite him in when we’re tempted to push him away. His very presence will bring healing and companionship if we allow him to wrap our weak bodies in his loving arms and choose to rest there awhile. Our Healer, Provider, and Comforter will tend to every hurt.
I’ve become adept at hiding my pain. Maybe you have, too, if you’re a go-getter woman of faith like me. Making lists and getting things done. It’s what we do. We mask our weaknesses in order to maintain the strong, self-sufficient image we’ve worked hard to project. Yet, sometimes the pain is too much and we realize we can’t do it on our own.
Thankfully, God in his grace and mercy offers us the gift of himself as the answer to our weakness. He doesn’t ever expect us to go it alone. Just the opposite, in fact. He wants us to invite him into our suffering and experience the power of his holy presence. God told the Apostle Paul in his suffering, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a). God poured out his grace in Paul’s weakness, and he will do the same for us.
When my praying friend came to the door that day, she brought with her the unconditional love of Jesus. She allowed God to use her to reach out to me in my pain. In the same way, our Savior stands at the door and knocks, longing for an open door to our hearts (Revelation 3:20). I will always hold the memory of my friend’s visit as a reminder of what to do when I feel alone in my pain. God is good and faithful, and if we invite him into our suffering, he will pour out unending comfort from his abundant supply.
Dear God,
I know you see my suffering. You are here, ready to bring comfort. I call on your name today and invite you to be with me, right here in the midst of my pain. Lord, thank you for being the source of all comfort, no matter what I’m going through. Let my pain spark a priority reset in my life. I choose to cherish the moments when I’m pain-free and able to do things that bring me joy. When the pain is too much, help me remember that you are with me. Help me remember to invite you in, not push you away. You are a merciful and good God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©AtnoYdur
For more spiritual growth resources, check out the 5-day email devotional, How to Be Free from Bitterness, by today’s devotion writer, Kristine Brown. Learn more about women in the Bible and find encouragement to help you “become more than yourself through God’s Word” at Kristine’s website, morethanyourself.com.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.