Finding Comfort

Illus: Did you hear about the three men that were dying of terminal diseases? They all began to talk about how they never thought this is how they would leave this world.

A nurse thought she would bring some comfort to these three fellows by asking them, “If you had a choice, how you would like to leave this world?”

* The first man, thought a few seconds and said, “At age eighty-five I prefer to go to sleep one night and not wake up the next day.”

* The second man, age ninety said, “I would rather be killed in an airplane crash. It would only take a few minutes and I would not die alone which would be some comfort.”

* The third man, at age ninety-five, said, “I would rather be shot by a jealous husband.”

We all need comfort from time to time, no matter how old we are. But sometimes the only place you can find sympathy is in the dictionary.

When we comfort our friends there are a number of things we can do. For example:

• WE MIGHT TRY TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THEM

There are some folks who do not know how to sympathize with people. The words that come out of their mouths are not very encouraging.

Illus: A young woman rushed home to announce her wedding engagement to her mother. She said, “Mom, I am engaged to marry a man that’s just like my father!” Her mother looked at her and said, “So what do you want from me, sympathy?'”

Many do not know how to comfort their friends. When they see them in trouble, they try to COMFORT them using sympathy.

• SOME SPEAK HOPEFUL WORDS TO THEM

Some try to comfort their friends by speaking words of cheer, but so often they do more damage than they do good.

Illus: Like the man who went to the hospital to visit a friend having heart surgery. He walked in and he turned to his wife and said, “That’s the same bed John was in last week.”

Talking to the patient, he said, “You have the same doctor he had, and he died in the same bed.”

Some do not seem to realize that there are some things best left unsaid, even if they are true.

• SOME TRY TO COMFORT OTHERS BY SENDING THEM FLOWERS OR CARDS

Again, this does not always work out like it should.

Illus: Did you hear about the new business that was opening and one of the owner's friends wanted to send him and his wife some flowers for the special occasion?

The florist got some orders mixed up, and when the flowers arrived at the new business site, the owner was shocked because the card read, "Rest in Peace."

The owner was very angry, to say the least, and called the florist to complain. "Sir, I'm really sorry for the mistake, and sorry you were offended," said the florist. "But even worse, somewhere there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a card saying, ‘Congratulations on your new location.’"

Many times our efforts are well received, but at best they fall short, and we leave feeling we have not achieved our goal.

One thing we all will agree on is this; there are times in our life when we need comforting.

Suppose you received the most devastating news that you could get, perhaps a loved one was killed in a car crash. WHO WOULD YOU TURN TO FOR COMFORT AT A TIME LIKE THIS?

Let’s look at the scripture to see where we can turn in times of trouble in our lives. We can certainly turn to-

I. THE COMFORT OF GOD

Look at 2 Cor. 1:3 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT…”

Aren’t you glad that He is a God of Comfort?

Illus: Have you ever seen some of these grandchildren at play? They can bump their head on a table, and they will immediately come running and crying to their parents or grandparents, wanting them to kiss the new knot on their head.

We are all like that. When we start hurting, we immediately run to God the Father for comfort from the knocks and bumps we get in this life.

He doesn’t scold us. He comforts us! Some folks do not know the difference between COMFORTING and SCOLDING. They go around from day to day scolding folks.

Illus: Employed by the human-development center of a corporation in the Midwest, my friend trains employees in proper dress codes and etiquette.

One day, as she was stepping onto the elevator, a man, casually dressed in jeans and a golf shirt, got on with her. Thinking of her responsibilities, she said in a scolding manner, “Dressed a little casually today, aren't we?”