The Warmth of God's Comfort: Finding Grace In Life's Frigid Moments
Blessed be 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 have received from God.
—2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV
I was recently walking with my two sons on a chilly Fall day. We had just gotten back from a trip to southern Florida, where the weather was what most would consider perfect: eighty degrees and sunny.
And yet, as we began our first walk back in chilly Minnesota, we couldn’t help but revel in the crisp Autumn air. We had to stop back home a few times to add layers, but once we were appropriately dressed in long sleeves, hoodies, and jackets, our walk became a time of grand enjoyment.
What is it about Fall that causes us to be so very smitten? That’s what I was wondering about as I walked along the crunchy path with my children. And then it hit me: I think what people love about Fall is the comfort.
When you hear people talk about cooler weather, they inevitably bring up sweatshirts and sweatpants (and how just they can’t wait to wear them). They bring up favorite soup recipes and begin to use phrases like “snuggling up” and “getting cozy” to describe what they’re most excited about.
Warm comfort on a chilly day feels glorious.
There is simply something about having on just the right amount of soft, cozy layers in contrast with the brisk air on your face. Or getting back from the frigid outdoors and transitioning to a warm mug of tea or hot cocoa.
It’s images like this that make our introductory verse so very beautiful. Here it is again:
Blessed be 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 have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Considering just how good comfort feels makes a truth like the one found above all the sweeter: what God provides to us is like that warm cup of cocoa. His embrace is like our favorite old sweatshirt. His love is like that bath full of epson salts that warms us to our bones.
He sees our frigid circumstances with compassion; he gives us comfort.
He did this in the ultimate way—when sin had us frozen to the core. He sent the light of his son, Jesus, into the world to provide what we needed most in our sin condition: life, salvation, restoration. Like a rescue boat pulling someone from the icy Atlantic, Jesus saved us when we were in absolute despair.
And yet, in his goodness, it’s not only the dire circumstances he meets us in; he comforts us in a million little ways. In the frigid moments of life—job losses, broken relationships, mental strain, depression, times of confusion and fear—God never fails to meet his people with comfort.
It might not be in the form we expect, but as we are reminded in 2 Corinthians 1:3, he is the God of all comfort. He is the one who comforts us in all of our troubles.
For me, this has occasionally meant a tangible answer to prayer or situational change. But more often, comfort comes as a result of The Holy Spirit shifting my perspective and calming my anxious heart through the reminder of who God is. (This song is so good for that.)
If you find yourself feeling unsure about how to go to God for comfort, may you be encouraged to remember that this comfort isn’t something we need to manipulate or beg for; it’s in his nature to give it. We can simply go to him. Enjoy this precious reminder from John 6:37:
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” -Jesus, John 6:37 NIV
Further study of this verse would tell someone that when Christ says he will “never” drive away the one who comes to him, he really means it. It’s an emphatic never. Like, no, not ever. You can count on Jesus to be there when you search for him.
In fact, the truth is even better than him simply being there—it’s more like Jesus is searching for us and we get to make the decision to turn towards him, accepting his invitation to join us in our tiring circumstances.
In Revelation, there’s a wonderful verse displaying this—following an invitation to repent (or turn away from our sin and to the person of Jesus)—that describes Jesus knocking on the door, waiting for us to answer.
Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:19-20 NIV
Jesus isn’t playing a game of keep-away with us, taunting us to find him. He is standing there, offering grace, comfort, and life. All the more, he offers us his very self.
May our chilling circumstances drive us to the warmth of Christ—in repentance and adoration—as we clothe ourselves in his garments of salvation and comfort.
And on this topic, one more beautiful truth to soak in when it comes to seeking the God of comfort is this: the Holy Spirit is here to help you. It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what to say or what to pray for.
Maybe you’ve heard this upcoming tidbit from the book of Romans. (It falls at a point in the text where the author is describing what it’s like to suffer on this earth as we await redemption and our heavenly home.) He describes the Spirit lifting our requests to God:
“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27 NIV
What an encouragement to remember that the Spirit prays for us when we don’t know what to pray for. May we bring our hearts to God, trusting the Spirit to intercede on our behalf.
So to you, as the cold months loom ahead, I pray that each and every ounce of physical comfort you experience stirs your heart to remember the God of all comfort.
Each scarf you tie on, each coffee you sip, each fire you stoke—may it all remind you of the solace God offers your soul in cold times. And may that warm your heart. :)
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For more encouragement:
I have a friend who has been experiencing the kinds of cold circumstances we’ve discussed here—experiencing heartbreak upon heartbreak. It’s as if she’s living Psalm 42:7 which describes one who is enduring hit after hit, as if they were standing beneath a waterfall. And yet, in the midst of this continuing trial, she describes how the Lord has met her with comfort in each step of the journey.
This doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been painful—or frigid—but the Lord has wrapped her up in the warm sweater of His embrace as she continually seeks him in her pain.
If you’d like to read her story about finding hope and comfort in her journey of infertility, you can find it here.
