Jesus comforts

Charles Spurgeon –

“Must I be a mourner all my days? How can I get rid of my doubts? The answer must be: Yes, you can be comforted, but only the mouth of the Lord can do it, for anything less than this will be unsatisfactory.”

This quote by Charles Spurgeon, from his book, Joy in Christ’s presence, is an affirmation of the solace and comfort that comes from God. Only the word of the Lord can ease suffering and the confusion that results when one is in a state of loss and grief. Others can sympathise with and comfort a grieving person with tenderness and love but this can only go so far. Human comfort doesn’t answer the questions, it cannot clarify the confusion, and it cannot reach the core of a person’s pain.

Family and friends may know us well, but not like God knows us, because he made us. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he knows exactly how we feel. “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.” (Psalm 139:1-2) And because of this we don’t have to explain anything to him. We can sit quietly, and just open ourselves up to his mercy and love, the kind of love that heals wounds, and that is so abundant. No matter what time of day, in our sorrow our Lord is there. He suffered too, he knows our pain. If we call on him, he will come to us, and his Spirit, the greatest of all comforters will calm our hearts and ease our confusion. Jesus promised that he would not leave us: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

Charles Spurgeon’s words have a depth and a certainty that ring like a bell in our ears, telling us that, yes, we can be comforted, but only through turning to the Lord and laying our sorrows at the foot of the Cross.