Comfort in Consistency
What can you depend on for its consistency?
Verse of the Day
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Today’s Devotional
Are you the same person as you were last year at this time? Are all of your opinions the same? Have you grown spiritually? Have you had any new experiences that shaped your outlook on life?
I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that Jesus in the manger is the same as Jesus on the cross. And this same Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven with the Father. Jesus as an adolescent in the temple is the same as Jesus who created the world.
While these are hard facts for me to comprehend, there is comfort in the unchanging nature of Jesus. Our culture, our particular life details, our family, our individual sins, our political structure, our country, the year on the calendar… none of these things affect who Jesus is.
In my experience, having a point or item of consistency is comforting for humans. Babies like to have a certain pacifier or blanket. Young children often have a favorite stuffed animal or toy. Teenagers might have a favorite restaurant. Adults have their favorites too. Maybe it’s their home, or even a room in their home. I have a pillow that I really like. Think about how a small child reacts when they are upset about something and they finally get their hands on their favorite stuffed animal. There is usually a contented sigh. Their breathing changes. They are more able to handle whatever was causing the distress.
Basically, we all need comfort. And something consistent in our life that we can rely on for that comfort.
I have to admit that I don’t have the habit in my life of looking first to Jesus as my source for comfort. There is no more stable, consistent source of comfort. But sometimes I reach for the remote control, or a Coke Zero, or a nap, or talking to another human as my first attempt at comfort. But since Jesus is always the same, He will always be there when I finally decide to turn to Him.
We humans clearly find comfort in consistency. Maybe we should be looking for comfort in the only Place that is actually consistent in our lives.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Do you find comfort in the consistency of Jesus?
Where do you turn first in times of need?
How can you practice the habit of turning to Jesus before anything else in your life?