100 Days of HopePrimjer

Both Now And For The Future

When we despair we are not, as Scripture says, “as those who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Rather, we have hope that the Lord will eventually bring good out of the misery we experience in this world. We also receive—in the here and now, in the immediacy of our problems—compassion and comfort. In hard times people often talk about the future saying, “My hope is in the Lord.” Of course it is, but it is not only a future hope. God is here, in the present, with comfort.

The dictionary defines “comfort” as a sense of ease, of well-being. So, God’s comfort is something he provides so that instead of getting worked up over problems, we can accept his comfort and the comfort of others. When we’re really, really low, it can be difficult to pray for ourselves. That’s when we need something that comes from the outside in, the compassion and comfort available to all of Christ’s followers.

Now, Paul could have ended this prayer with “who comforts us in all our troubles.” Instead, he gives the reason God provides compassion and comfort: so that others can receive the exact same grace through us. So, first, we need to be open to receiving God’s compassion and comfort in the midst of our problems. Then, we must be quick to provide the exact same blessing to others when they are in pain.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the comfort and peace that you offer us in hard times. Remind me to seek you first when I face trials so that I can overcome them with a calm spirit. Help me to extend a comforting and helping hand to others as well.