Hello,
It is my desire to bring some Good News to your heart today and it is also my aim to equip you with some tools you can use to give others what you’ve received. It is truly more blessed to give than to receive but we cannot give what we haven’t received ourselves or are aware that we have it to give. Today, I’m not talking about giving money or possessions, but something way more valuable: comfort!
We are often put in situations where we can encourage and comfort others as they go through troubles, trials, and as they grieve. Most people can say they’ve experienced some level of troubles, trials, or grief, wouldn’t you agree?
Even though we know what it is like to experience hurt, or disappointment or perhaps a loss of a loved one, we don’t always know how to comfort others through their trouble. Often, we feel like if we haven’t experienced the same exact trial, then we cannot help someone else in certain situations because we do not know what it is like to go through what they are experiencing. So we agree to pray (which is awesome) but that may be all we do because we THINK we haven’t received what they need us to give them. But that’s where I disagree. We HAVE received comfort from God and that is Good News!
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in ANY trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God.” 2 Cor 1:3-4 NIV
In order to be prepared to give to others, we must first receive from above. We have to be filled up in order to spill out. We must be filled with the comfort we receive from God so we may pass it on and comfort others in the same way. To receive means we “take hold of what is offered.” So if we receive from above, then give it freely from a selfless heart because of God’s love flowing through us to others, we shall be blessed even more. Our blessings may include more joy, happiness, good health, peace of mind and increased hope. It truly is more blessed to give than receive because when we follow these words of Jesus, His joy is made complete in us.
Perhaps you are in need of comfort yourself or are experiencing anxiety or you are feeling gripped by fear. My friend, there is HOPE for you! Take a peak at what comfort is offered for you from your Heavenly Father who is compassionate and loves you dearly. If you’re not sure what the comfort of God looks like, scroll to the article below to gain an understanding and then RECEIVE it to your heart…then GIVE it away…and be blessed.
As always…If you have a specific prayer request you’d like to me to pray, I’d be honored. Just reply to this email.
HEALED BY THE WORD: A Fresh Monthly Word
What Exactly Do I Have to Give?
Our verse does not read comfort others who experience “similar trials that you have gone through,” but it says comfort those in ANY trouble with the same comfort we ourselves receive from God. So what exactly do I have to give others? It looks like this:
- We can show mercy, be kind and compassionate.
- We can love them with a smile, a listening ear, or by being a friend.
- We can ask the Holy Spirit to guide and give us words to say, or not to say.
- We can be patient & tender hearted as they process through their pain and validate their feelings without trying to help them to “just get over it.”
- We can share Scripture that reminds them God cares and grieves when they do; point them to verses that offer hope.
- Remember, the grief process takes time and is a gift from the Lord. Ignoring it can lead to problems at a later time (As happened to me. I wrote about it to help others in my book, Good Grief I’m Healed). Comfort others by letting them know their feelings and thoughts are normal and their hearts will heal. They will come through this and they are not alone. After all…they have YOU and the God of ALL comfort!