Awesome God: Midyear Prayer & Fasting (Family Devotional)Sample

[IMAGE CONTENT] # Day 1: God Is Our Comfort ## Connect Get the largest bedsheet in the house. Then on the bed or sofa, spread the sheet and have every member of the family snuggle inside one by one. How does it feel? Does it feel awkward? Does it feel good? [IMAGE CONTENT] When we feel sad or there are things that are out of our control, we look for comfort. We look for something that will make us feel good—it may be hugs, food, a movie, a book, social media, or something else. But above all these material things that give us instant comfort, there is someone we can go to for the best comfort we can get—God! Let’s read what the Bible says. ## Read the Word Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3–5 (ESV) We encounter stress and challenges daily. We see it affecting our family, our friends, social media, and everything that surrounds us. We sometimes can’t help but feel lost, confused, and even like we want to give up. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, reminds the believers that God is the God of all comfort . This means that God knows what we are going through—our afflictions, our problems, and our stress. They may not go away immediately, but we can come to God because He is the one who will ultimately comfort us. God does not magically take away or erase our problems, but as we come to Him, we will find comfort and peace. That way, we can also comfort others and share the peace that we find only in God. ## Huddle ### Parents to Kids 4–6 years old * Can you think of something that made you really sad? What is it? Did your sadness ever go away? What did you do? * Do you have Jesus in your heart? 7–12 years old * What do you do when you are experiencing difficulty (e.g., schoolwork, difficult classmates, crisis at home)? * Is there someone you go to that will help you sort it out? ### Kids to Parents * Who do you ask for help when you are under stress? What do you do to overcome it? Do you go to Jesus? Why? Whatever difficulty you may be going through, believe that Jesus knows what you are going through and how you are feeling. Our feelings and emotions are not foreign to Him and we can trust that He will give us peace. ## Pray Dear God, we raise to You all the things that make us feel stressed, and our daily challenges in life. Thank You, Lord, for Your word that reminds us to come to You when we face difficulties. We are not alone. Thank You that You are always there to comfort us. May the peace and the comfort that we receive overflow, that we may share it with others who are also in need. In Jesus’ name, amen. ## Discover The term “comfort food” was coined in the 1960s to mean the food that often brings us back to the times when we were growing up. They usually include the ones our parents give us to cheer us up. These can be ice cream, sweets, your mom’s best pasta dish, or that favorite fast food meal you always crave. This food gives us temporary comfort when we are stressed, but it does not give us the complete comfort and peace that God provides. God’s comfort is always available for us. All we have to do is pray.