In times of pain and loss, we most need comfort, peace, and hope. Yes, we might want tangible help, healing, and restoration but that doesn’t always happen right away. We need that which will help us walk through the valleys of life no matter how long it might take.
Check out the Walk the Walk Even When It Hurts Devotional for thirty devotions from Psalm 23 pointing to the Lord as your Shepherd who provides what you need to make it through even the shadow of death.
Sources of Help for When We Hurt
We can try to pull ourselves together but sometimes we are so emotionally wrung out, mentally exhausted, or physically depleted that we have little reserve to pull on. Perspective can become skewed when we hurt and we could lose all sense of hope.
We can wait for our circumstances to change but sometimes life gets worse rather than better or the change isn’t as we thought it should be. Prospects of a better life can allude us and so we become more anxious rather than finding a sense of peace and contentment.
We can expect other people to come to our rescue but sometimes they seem blind to our pain or fail to consistently show the compassion and understanding we need. Problems can be compounded by additional hurts from people we thought would be there for us and so we lack any sense of comfort.
Ultimate Source of Help for When We Hurt
We can’t rely on self, circumstances, or others. But, there is One who can give us what we truly need when we hurt — God, who is the God of all comfort, peace, and hope.
God of Comfort:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Even when we find comfort from other people, it’s because of God. He is the ultimate source of comfort. God designed the Body of Christ to be there for one another in both the ups and downs of life, the joys and the sorrows. But, the Church is composed of imperfect human beings incapable of consistently showing unfailing love and compassion. Only God can be counted on at all times and in all circumstances. Let Him use other people through your grief and pain, but put your trust and ultimate reliance in Him for the comfort you need.
God of Peace:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4:6-9)
We can’t dwell on our negative circumstances and expect to have peace. We won’t feel good when we dwell on the bad. When, however, we turn to the Lord who is good and works for our good, we can find rest for our souls in Him even when circumstances remain unchanged for He is the God of peace.
God of Hope:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:13)
When we come to the realization that we can’t fix what’s wrong in this world, albeit even in our own lives, but that there is Someone who can and will one day right the wrongs, we can experience hope. We can believe God’s good purposes will prevail no matter what happens.
Persevering in our suffering lets us experience God in a way we otherwise would not know. It puts us in touch with the God of all comfort, peace, and hope — who is sufficient to help us when we hurt.