An Example of Comfort
Do you record and remember the times when God comforts you?
Verse of the Day
‘“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.’
Today’s Devotional
I am in an uncomfortable place in my spiritual journey. Nothing specifically is wrong, there is no major crisis. But God is doing something in me (or with me or for me) and I have very little information other than the discomfort. I am in a place where I am saying out loud, several times each day, “Lord, I trust you. Help me to trust you.”
At the same time, I am attempting to write about God’s comfort. Because when I asked Him what I should write about next, this was the answer. (Do you see the God-shaped irony there?)
This morning, I was meeting with two ladies who are very dear to me. We meet to discuss our faith journey, to encourage each other, and to hold each other accountable. One of these contenders of the faith shared a private journal entry she wrote a few years ago, because she had stumbled upon it while looking for something else, and it really stood out to her as something she needed to share with us.
In God’s kindness, it was exactly what I needed to hear today. With her permission, I am sharing it with you. She was reading an Oswald Chambers devotional, which you can read here, about getting into God’s stride. She writes:
“I’ve been really struggling with the mundane, everyday steps of my walk, to really feel His presence, to hear His voice clearly, and questioning my faithfulness. But like Chambers says, “It is painful work to get in step with God and keep pace”, which is why getting into His stride is so vital. God showed me a visual picture of what this means: As a young child, I would “walk on my father’s feet”. I would stand on top of his feet and either hold his hands or wrap my arms around his waist, and he would walk around with my feet on his, requiring no effort on my part. “Getting into God’s stride” is somewhat like “abiding”, which God reveals to me so much lately, and requires a few more actions from me:
- It requires faith to “step on” His feet, which is also saying that I trust Him to lead me into the unknown. Because when I “step on”, I am facing backwards, looking only at Him, not looking at where we are going.
- Once I make that decision to “step on”, I must either hold on tight to His hands or wrap my arms around His waist. Because my safety requires that I have a tight grip on the One who is in control. But it’s not just for my safety. “Stepping on” is required if I want to reach the destiny He desires for me.
- When we take our first few steps, it feels awkward for me to not be in control of where my feet land, especially since I can’t see where He is leading me. But with each step, as painful and scary as it may be, I become more comfortable and more at peace about not being in charge. It actually becomes fun, even freeing.
Learning to trust His steps, His guidance, His plan. As I am learning to get into “His stride” I realize that I start to “exhibit the very character of God Himself”. My stride becomes His and “His power alone is exhibited.””
Do you see the kindness and comfort God is offering us with that mental picture? God is offering each of us the comfort of His will and His leading for our lives. It may not be comfortable to release the control we believe we have. But God is offering us that sweet kind of relationship, like a child standing on their daddy’s feet, dancing and playing along however He leads.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Write down a recent time when God comforted you. If you can’t think of one, as God for an encounter with His kindness today.
How does it make you feel to think of stepping onto God’s feet and allowing Him to control your steps? Is it scary? Is it comforting?
Ask God to give you a visual lesson like He did for my friend. Be ready to write down anything that comes to mind.