“… encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:12
Comfort – “to soothe in time of affliction or distress” (American Heritage College Dictionary)
Comfort – “to call to one’s side”, “to calm, console” (taken from two Greek words translated as encourage and comfort above).
Les and Leslie Parrot describe four myths people give into prior to and during marriage. They do so in their book, Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts.
Myth #3 – Everything bad in my life will disappear.
Following Jesus does not mean we will not encounter bad things. Following Jesus does not mean the bad will disappear. The reality is the more we are exposed to Jesus and his transforming work the more we discover our “bad” that needs to be changed. His work of grace transforms us and those things that are transformed may indeed disappear from our lives only to expose other things about our character and nature that need to come under the gracious work of his Spirit.
Our need is for our friends and fellow travelers to “come along side us”, “to console us” in order that we may continue the journey with Jesus who has called us into the Father’s Kingdom and glory.
I find Paul’s words translated “comforting” to be fascinating. We need each other on the way with Jesus to come to our side in afflication and distress as we work through what it means to be “in Christ. ” The working out of “our salvation with fear and trembling” often exposes some distressing things with which we need help. So, Paul comforted those in Thessalonica to “live/walk worthy of the God who calls us into his Kingdom and glory.”
Who would you comfort as you walk? Who would comfort you as you walk?