The Comforter

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

This morning I heard the Father say to me, "Comforter." It filled me with such a sense of His wonderful care for all of us. I thought of so many people today that are in desperate need of comfort. People who today are suffering so greatly that the mind can hardly fathom what they are going through.

The Comforter Jesus was praying for us to have was the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Of all the pictures I have in my heart of the Holy Spirit this one is the most precious. The Father sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us in all our trials. He is the God of all comfort. All true comfort comes from Him. Is that not a wonderful truth about our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit is the one He sends to comfort us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

See the pattern here? Jesus; heart was not untouched by the reality of our lives in this world. He himself had suffered its ravages. His heart was touched with the feelings of our struggle.

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

He knew we needed a place of refuge, a place to be comforted when life got to hard. He had found that in his relationship with the Holy Spirit.

In praying for us to have that same relationship we now have a wonderful comforter forever. See how he said that? The Holy Spirit does not come and go in our lives. The Holy Spirit remains with us forever. He is there for every joy and every sorrow.

As we find the comfort the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit bring to us he then directs our thoughts to comforting others.

1 Thessalonians 5:1
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

The body of Christ is to be a place of great comfort.

I work with little children. It is always a reminder to me of what God does in our times of struggle as I watch the little ones when they are hurt.

Often as adults we have been embittered by life so much that when we get hurt we don't reach out for comfort. But little children do. The minute they are hurt what they seek is the comfort of another person. Most often the pain ends very quickly once they are loved and comforted.

Tell a little one they should not be so wimpy and they cry much harder. Tell them that you are sorry for how they got hurt, touch them to reassure them that you understand and just let them cry it out and they begin to relax and their crying diminishes. After a few minutes if it is not a serious injury they suddenly stop crying and are ready to go back to their play.

This is how the Father wants us to know He responds to us through His Spirit. We need to be like a child in this regard.

Undealt with pain, even in children, turns quickly into anger, bitterness or self hatred. When we allow for our pain to be comforted it builds a deep relationship with the one comforting us.

I have learned to quickly turn to my divine comforter. I have learned that I can find a place of safety in Him.

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

John 14:18
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Acts 9:31
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Romans 1:12
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

2 Corinthians 1:6
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

2 Corinthians 7:6
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Philippians 2:1-3
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.