Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words

The day was my birthday, and no one could have had a nicer celebration as I enjoyed a beautiful tea with friends and family–truly a red-letter day.

The next day dawned bright and clear as well.  But before that day ended, four disappointments and heartaches turned my emotional sky gray. My husband received word that the publisher he thought would give him a contract on his latest book had turned him down; our daughter learned she would face a financially devastating situation in court; a grandson was in trouble; and our niece had been informed that she had stage four cancer. I felt as though I had been physically punched in the head–and the heart.

My mind searched scripture for comfort. I thought of Job, who also suffered four calamities in one day–but his were far worse than mine. His servants plowing in the field were attacked and killed. Lightning struck his sheep and the men caring for them, wiping them out. Raiders stole all his camels and killed the caretakers. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, a strong wind collapsed the house where Job’s sons and daughters were eating together and they all died.

What was Job’s response? “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’’(Job 1:21, 22). What an amazing man!

When trouble comes we often feel like no one understands. Yet there is One who does. The apostle Paul described Him with these words: “…the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Then he adds a beautiful promise: “who comforts us in all our troubles” (vs. 4).

I am so glad the divine Comforter is my friend. And I can assure you that He wants to comfort you too. It’s Who He is! “The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”