Bat Cave : The Point of it.

The point of it

Not too long back there was a man on the show 60 Minutes named Andy Rooney who would ask the question "Do you ever wonder.....". Monday night I wasn't really wondering per se but then there was the answer. Anyone own a comforter for the bed. Yeah I have a few blanket type things. I even own a Wonder Woman snuggie. Quit laughing it was a gift from a friend. We as Christians have a comforter nothing like a blanket which is the Holy Spirit who is part of the trinity. In John 14:16 he is referred to as the Advocate, Comforter, Encourager or Counselor. But that brings us to the question of Do you ever wonder. Why would God want to comfort his children? Yes he is Holy and loving but there is more to it than that. All your hurts, loss and pain God can use those. Do you ever interact with people and remember God helping you get through something and then suddenly your own struggles become ways to connect to that other person? That was God's plan. You may not connect it till later but God can use your hurt to help others if you let him. See 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 blew my mind Monday night and you need to read this.

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings you will also share in the comfort God gives us."

About a month ago Pastor Micah said "God doesn't waste a hurt." He really doesn't because you will find someone who has been hurt and share your experience and connect and build up that person.

I want to relay something very personal about God's people comforting others. It's been about two weeks since my dog Mara was put to sleep. She had been falling a lot and her legs simply would not hold her anymore and my parents took her to the vet for us. That in itself was a comfort because Marion and I knew we couldn't watch her be put to sleep we would have been a mess. I posted her obituary on Facebook after it happened. Many people were trying to comfort Marion and I. I got to pour my heart out to my friend David. But the Sunday after is what meant a lot to us. We had so many people coming up to us hugging us and telling us they were so sad right along with us. Some of them like Cathy had lost a pet recently. The one person who God really used with me was John. He is a bear of a man but in reality a teddy bear. He walked over wrapped me up in a hug and said "Don't even say anything you know what this is for." It was like getting a hug from Andre the Giant. But there were many more people online and in person who understood our grief. 12 years with any dog is a long time. God in his perfect timing sent people to comfort us when we needed it. God sees every hurt we ever go through. How do I know that because of what King David said in Psalm 56:8. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." That's why we can sing songs like What a friend we have in Jesus and Friend of a wounded heart.

Trouble and sorrows aren't always the bad thing we think they are because God is using those things to teach us and ready us to comfort someone else. James 1:2-4 shows that to be true. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete needing nothing."

There are those who say "God will never give me more than I can handle." Or "God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers." This is incorrect. God brings you to things to have you stop and decide are you going to trust him or are you going to handle things in your own pride. We need comfort from God when we're hurt and sometimes we're too stupid to turn to him or let those he sends to us to be comforted and we push them away. I had to let people close and that included the bear hug from John. That included letting people close when I was hurting. Do I miss Mara yes I do but I had family and friends that God put in my path to support me. It was the comfort I needed.

Already all I need [lyrics] - Christy Nockels