Since many of you commented about my last word, I will be bold and share another one. This one may be harder to hear. Obviously God thinks I’m ready to think about them.
“Who will you serve? Comfort or the Comforter?”
God spoke these words to my heart many days ago. They will not leave. Instead, they continue to bounce around in my brain. What is my true motive for my actions each day? God or myself? Comfort or my Comforter?
Now for confession. I’m a recovering comfort junkie. And as I continue to step away from that lifestyle and enter into a more risky relationship with God, I find greater freedom. Relief. Joy in abundance. Real peace.
But then there are days when I find myself running back to that place of ease. I need a fix–and fast.
Take food for example. Sometimes I find myself searching for chocolate. In my pantry. In my purse. Anywhere. Just gimme something sweet! Why? Well I’m not too sure. Hormones? A good possibility! Some days I know why. I’m trying to feed boredom, loneliness, or the sorrows of this broken world. I give myself full permission to indulge. I’m looking to soothe my soul with chocolate. Not God.
Or how ’bout exercise? It’s easy for me to put off taking care of my body. I have tons of excuses. No partner. No time. Too tired. I sweat, not pretty. The truth is working out hurts. It requires sacrifice and commitment. Comfort calls me to the couch. Even when my body begs for movement, I know how to silence its voice. Turn up the TV. Tune out God’s reminder to care for the only body I have.
What about relationships? For me, I would rather run from the difficult ones and cling to the ones that feed my desire to feel seen, heard and loved. Comfort again whispers to me, “Take the easy road. It’s okay.” God calls me to enter into hard relationships with courage, forgiveness and humility. To embrace those He places in my life, to experience real community and even Christ’s love.
Here’s one of the greatest truth I know. No one, no place, no food, no thing can take the place of my Comforter: GOD. In Him, I truly live life to the full. Joy invades my nothingness. Songs of thanks fill my heart. Experiencing God satisfies my hunger. He feeds me the richest of foods. Delighting in God is my passion. There, I find my true comfort.
Forgive me, Lord, for all the times I run to comfort instead of you!
Today I run to You willingly. Eager to receive Your embrace and hear Your voice. Perfect love sing over me. Nothing or no one else will do!
Okay, now to you, what does this word mean to you, “Who will you serve? Comfort or the Comforter?” What are your comforts that take God’s rightful place?
Praise be to 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. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5(NIV)
This post is great. I’m sure tons of people can relate. I know I can, but the more I’m willing to seek Him and not comfort, the more beautiful life becomes.
Well thanks a lot. I was feeling pretty confident about my answer. Of course I serve the Comforter. That’s why I’ve been away from home for 3 weeks helping my Mom and step dad! I was comforting them and encouraging THEM to seek the Comforter. Why, I even fussed (gently of course) at my 86 year old Mother for not eating properly and only eating junk food, but she’ll feed my ailing step dad healthy choices.
And then you crossed the line my friend. You asked me to examine MYSELF! ME! The one who is joining Weight Watchers tonight so I pulled through McD’s for one last order of fries and a coke!
Oh the sinful wretch that I am. Lord, I want to serve only You, the true Comforter.
Marsha, my sweet friend,
It’s all in love that I posted this question. I know you know this but I must pause and say “breathe.” It’s okay. We all are in need of God’s comfort. Life is hard. We all have our ways of coping.
This question is my daily haunting now. Imagine what I am thinking. I open the cabinet, shut it. Turn on TV, turn it off. I am not saying let’s be legalistic. I’m not about rules and living in a hermit shell. I’m all about going deeper in relationship and obedience with God. For me, God is digging deeper into my heart, searching my actions and asking me to examine myself.
You are under NO pressure to be where I am. You are free!
Know I love your honesty! Thank you for sharing your fries and Coke with us. Now I’m tempted to drive to McDs. 🙂 I really want some bubbles and they have the best Cokes!
makes me remember a saying I heard a long time ago.. can’t remember the exact words (wish I could) but this was the thought:
‘Contentent vs Comfort will always lead to a better place to be’
hugs sis in Christ :O)
Deanna
let me spell better, LOL!
ContentMent :O)
~Deanna
Tiffany, this is so good. It maybe answers a question I have been asking God this week. I have a sister who I am only allowed to approach on her terms. When I call her, I usually feel like I am interrupting her. The only time her wall comes down is when she decides to let it down and comes to me. I have “allowed her her space” and treaded carefully and prayerfully, but lately she is going through alot, and I have wanted to “press” in, feeling like if I didn’t it would be worse than if I did. But DESPERATELY wanting to hear God’s voice. Perhaps this is it.
Thanks~
Lots of love,
Kathy
Tiffany,
Of the scenarios you presented…the friendships one got the better of me. I have been so wounded that I tend to keep them surface level at best these days. Too much hurt around the corner. I’m a born encourager and lover of people filled to overflowing with compassion so I feel as if I’m stifled but the hurts are just too likely to happen. The wounds have been dealt severely from Christians. So…when I read this I thought..if I’m seeking Christ who is the Great Comforter…why would I be afraid? I should be serving Him and in turn…being a good friend.
Good post, my friend.
I see myself in that chocolate seeking, comfort driven person you described! I love what you say about entering into a risky relationship with God. Wow! That got my heart pumping! I know that is what He calls us to, and I’m trying! You inspire me, Tiffany.
This is one of my favorite scriptures that I cling to when I get down about the past.
luv,
laura
When I allow Him to be my comforter, He then is my God and not having to share that title with another. He is a jealous God.
I’m glad He is…keeps the home fire burning.
Lovingly,
Yolanda
Great thoughts! I could do with a cup of hot chocolate right now. 🙂 But I realize that in the past few months I have been seeking happiness in all the wrong places.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7s2wCVcmYOU
This really speaks to me. Thank you Tiffany.
Thanks for sharing this. This really is a great question. I was reading your answers and thinking I do that, I do that. Thanks for bringing this to light for me in looking to God and not things.
This is a great post! It reminds me of something very similar that God spoke to me through a Beth Moore conference I went to a few years ago… am I driven by the comforts of this world or am I driven by the love of God. That stuck with me and changed my life and my perspective on lots of things… however, sometimes I get back in that rut of comfort, and God uses people like you to bring that message back to the forefront of my mind…
Thank you for sharing what God is speaking to you!
Blessings!
What truth you have spoken in these words.
I’m the chocolate seeker!!!
Tonight I am choosing the Comforter ~ and NOT the one on my bed!
Tiffany, Wow! I loved the contrast of comfort or the Comforter. Your blog post and what God is doing in your life reminds me of something I read today by Richard Foster that touched my heart.
“The devotional masters write much about training the heart in two opposite directions: contemptus mundi, our being torn loose from all earthly attachments and ambitions, and amor mundi, our being quickened to a divine but painful compassion for the world.
In the beginning God plucks the world out of our hearts—contemptus mundi. Here we experience a loosening of the chains of attachment to positions of prominence and power. All our longings for social recognition, to have our name in lights, begin to appear puny and trifling. We learn to let go of all control, all managing, all manipulation. We freely and joyfully live without guile. We experience a glorious detachment from this world and all it offers.
And then, just when we have become free from it all, God hurls the world back into our heart—amor mundi—where we and God together carry the world in infinitely tender love. We deepen in our compassion for the bruised, the broken, the dispossessed. We ache and pray and labor for others in a new way, a selfless way, a joy-filled way.
Our heart is enlarged toward those on the margins. Indeed, our heart is enlarged toward all people, toward all of Creation.
I love being an encourager, and comforter to others, but I also love being content in the comforting arms of God.