Looking For Comfort In All The Wrong Places
I had a bad day. I attended a meeting that I oversaw, and it did not go as planned. It left me exhausted and in need of a hug. All I wanted to do after the meeting was go home and see our family dog Jasper light up as I walked in the door. I needed to wrap my arms around him and feel him lean into me in a way that surprisingly brings comfort that no human can. He doesn’t talk back to me, look at me like I’m an idiot, or try to fix my problems. He is always simply happy to see me and is ready to comfort me when I need it.
As I pulled into my driveway, a heaviness grew in my chest. Jasper was not at our house. He was at his breeder getting more bird dog training. I walked into my house with a feeling of failure and disappointment. All I wanted was a hug from my dog, and he was not there.
As the afternoon went on, I started thinking about how much we rely on people or animals to comfort us or fulfill our needs instead of relying on God. Instead of going home to spend time with God after a hard day, I wanted to go spend time with my dog. I began to think about why we rely on our furry best friends to comfort us. Animals bring us a sense of peace because we never see judgement on their face when they look at us. They never try to one up our conversations. They forgive us every time we mess up. They’re always there to greet us with enthusiasm even when we were too busy that day to throw the ball with them in the yard.
It dawned on me that I didn't need Jasper to comfort me, I had God at my disposal every minute of the day as my comforter.
I remembered God’s promise to love me unfailingly. He does not rain down judgement on me when I fail. He does not immediately fix my problems with His mighty powers, instead He allows me to freely learn from them as He gently guides me. God does not make me feel stupid or belittle me; He gives me a sense of purpose and confidence. God does not turn His back on me when I’m too busy to fit Him into my day. He is always there and He never disappoints; His promises stand true day in and day out.
Maybe what you go to for comfort isn’t your dog; maybe it’s your friend, spouse, alcohol, television, or even food. Instead of going to those people or things for comfort first, try going to God first. Simply talking to Him can give us a sense of peace that nothing else can give. He talks to us in so many ways. He touches us through a feeling, encourages us through a song, guides us in a Bible verse, gives us hope in His promises, or makes us smile from a kind act or word. If we go to God first, then we see how He uses the things and people around us to lighten our days. But relying on Him to provide, rather than the world is the first step to our comfort and happiness. The world will disappoint us every time, but God’s promise to love us and never leave us stands firm.
Digging Deeper:
Read Psalm 107
What or whom do you turn to for comfort?
How do you feel God urging you to rely on Him instead of something in the world?
How do you feel God comfort you when you go to Him first?