The Only True Source of
Comfort
By Pastor Tony Butler
Blessed [be] God, even
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all
comfort.
II Cor. 1:3
When one is being troubled by
difficulties and circumstances in life, it is very tempting to seek refuge in
places that do not bring genuine comfort. God the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ is the God of all comfort. This means there is nothing that can come
into our lives that He can’t bring soothing and help. The word for comfort in
the bible is “parakletos” which means, “ called alongside” it has the idea of
an advocate, or a person who comes along in the hour of need in order to help
like a “paramedic”.
Just as the country lyric goes,
“looking for love in all the wrong places” so it is with people seeking relief
from their tribulation. So many wrong sources are used to comfort the soul that
at best, are mere temporary shelters that usually demand addiction.
Anti-depressants, and alcohol are two of the most used wrong sources for
comfort, as well as being the primary sources Satan uses to keep them weak and
dependent. Let me say up front there are some legitimate uses of alcohol and
anti-depressants, but when they are used for escape, comfort, or to elude
problems God wants us handle with His help, they become taskmasters. They
weaken the human spirit, and lie to the human soul saying, “You need me, you
can’t make it without me”. As a pastor, I tell you many doctors have God’s
judgment on them for prescribing so quickly drugs that do much harm to people’s
capacity. The pharmaceutical companies often put money ahead of genuine care
and concern. They love the massive taking of Prozac and Valium. The doctors
that prescribe it heavily get kickbacks, vacations, and gifts for their aid to
the pharmaceutical giants.
God is quite different. He allows
tribulation in our lives for two main reasons. Firstly, He uses it so we will
come to Him in those stressful circumstances and discover His true source of
comfort. This source is channeled to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Only by knowing Christ personally can we have access to the genuine comfort
source of the Father. Secondly, He wants us to take the comfort that we
received of Him, and minister that same comfort to others so that God is
comforting them through us, and giving opportunity to show His love.
(“that we may be able to comfort them
which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted
of God. V. 4b,c”) The misuse of drugs and alcohol circumvent those things from
happening. I encourage you to read about major trouble and God’s comfort in
Psalms 46. Our God is a present help in the time of trouble. Selah.