Learning To Comfort Others

Today's post is a follow up to yesterday's post about Mark 6:31 - "come aside...and rest awhile". Very often when we get stressed out with life we think that the ultimate solution is a vacation to the beach or mountains. So we do two things wrong trying to make sure it provides the ultimate relief. First, we spend more money than we can afford at Disneyland or Dollywood. Then we spend the rest of the year stressing out trying to pay for it. Secondly, we rush around getting ready to go, rush around while there trying to see and do everything. Then we drive all day long to get back in time to rush off to work. Then we wish for a vacation to get over our vacation.

   It was said that Jacqueline Kennedy received one million letters from all over the world when her husband President Kennedy was assassinated. They were mostly the common people who were trying to give her comfort.

   Paul speaks of "the Father of mercies and God of all comfort". (II Cor. 1:3) In other words our God is the ultimate source of encouragement and healing to our stress. As He wraps His arms around us we can embrace others "with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (1:4) Perhaps comforting others might relieve us of our stressful life? So, make a call, send a note, make a visit and give healing to others this week and thus find your own rest!