4th Week of Lent
The Lord comforts his people. (Isaiah 49:13)
When you think about being comforted, you might imagine someone putting their arms around you or speaking encouraging words when you were hurt or sick or upset. You might recall moments from childhood when your mother knew just the right way to make you feel better. She listened to your concerns, even though she knew she couldn’t fix everything. She probably told you how much she loved you as well and that she would try to help. Her presence and love reassured you that somehow, things would be okay.
Even if you never really knew this kind of comfort from your parents, you can still experience it from God. Today’s first reading promises that! Your God knows you intimately; he knows your needs, your worries, and your sorrows. He won’t forget you, not even for an instant. Even if a mother forgets her child, God will never forget you (Isaiah 49:15).
Now, you can’t have someone’s arm around you all the time. But then again, maybe you can. God’s comfort is not limited to physical closeness. He is always with you, even when you make a mess of things and everyone else has left you alone. This is what the Scriptures mean when they proclaim God to be faithful and true. Jesus promised he will be with us always—and he never breaks his promises (Matthew 28:20).
You may have already experienced God’s comfort in a personal way. Maybe you felt him strengthen you during a stressful time. Or maybe he guided you through a confusing situation. Even so, the difficulties of life can tempt you to think that God is far away. He isn’t. He walks beside you: suffering with you, persevering with you, and comforting you, even if you aren’t sure that he is there.
So feel free to talk to Jesus about your joys and struggles, your questions and doubts. Don’t be afraid to express your deepest thoughts, even the ones that are filled with anxiety, fear, bitterness, or anger. Don’t worry; you won’t surprise or offend him. In fact, it’s in those moments that you may begin to sense his presence and his comfort. And even if you don’t exactly feel his presence, that’s okay. He is still there. God is giving you a chance to strengthen your faith. Always remember: he will never leave you.
“Jesus, be my comfort today.”
Psalm 145:8-9, 13-14, 17-18
John 5:17-30
