Worship More and Worry Less: 30 Days of Praiseنموونە

What’s your favorite comfort food? Mine usually involves pasta and cheese or potatoes with a puddle of melted butter sitting on top. Ice cream comes to mind, too. My husband (who is Asian) is comforted by pho or ramen. What makes noodles so comforting?

As I type this devotion with the top button of my jeans undone, I confess I often turn to food for comfort—maybe too much. My waistline would be slimmer if I’d simply turn to God. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul calls Him “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). All comfort.

Paul encourages the readers to praise the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion. He explains we become the conduits of His compassion as we comfort others with the same comfort God gives us when we need it. I want to be that for others. But before we can be a conduit, we’ve got to be able to receive His compassion and comfort first. You can’t give what you don’t have.

What trouble are you dealing with today? Praise the God of comfort and Father of compassion. Rather than fearing the worst, you can trust His best. I’ve experienced it. I have felt His tangible comfort when no noodles or ice cream would make my heart feel better. And on those desperate occasions, I experienced His peace and comforting embrace when I surrendered. I told Him how I felt, but then I worshiped Him. In faith, I proclaimed the problems to be a blessing one day. And I can testify they are.

Our worries come from a place of distrust—a place of believing God the Father is angry or disappointed. How would your life change if you knew beyond knowing the Father wants to wrap you up in His arms and comfort you?

Journal

Write a prayer of praise to the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion. And if you have trouble with this truth, ask Him to help you receive it in your heart and mind today.