DO YOU FIND COMFORT IN THE SCRIPTURES?

In Romans 15:4, the Apostle Paul tells us that "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Do you find comfort in the scriptures? Men and women who believe God certainly should. We all have trials, heartaches, and painful experiences in life that trouble us. I have a dear friend who preaches the gospel, whose six month old baby girl the Lord took from him. I have another dear friend whose son was killed in Vietnam. The man is a faithful pastor; but God took his son from him. I have watched many dear friends, men and women beloved of God, suffer many things: sickness, bereavement, and death. I know many who carry heavy burdens because of the waywardness of their children, the ungodliness of their spouses, and the constant turmoil in their homes. Almost all of us have times of terrible depression and anxiety. And all of God's children in this world have a constant struggle with sin. Our hearts are grieved, pained, and full of heaviness because of sin. We loathe the sin that dwells in us. We long to be free from all sin, never to sin again. But sin is mixed with all we do. Like Job of old, we abhor ourselves because of sin. In the midst of such pain and trouble, where do you find comfort? How do you cope with the heaviness of your manifold temptations? You have three choices. There are three things you can do. You can pull your hair out with insanity, or you can get the doctor to keep you doped up with nerve pills, or you can believe God and enjoy the comfort of the scriptures. THE BOOK OF GOD IS A BOOK OF COMFORT FOR GOD'S TROUBLED CHILDREN. Thus far, as a believer, I have never gone to the Word of God with a heavy, aching, troubled heart and failed to find comfort, no matter what the cause of my trouble has been. Let me tell you where I find comfort in the Scriptures.

1. I FIND GREAT COMFORT IN THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD AS IT IS SETFORTH IN THE SCRIPTURES. The gospel of peace gives me peace. The gospel of Christ proclaims redemption, pardon, justification, and reconciliation through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, through his righteousness and shed blood as the sinner's Substitute. I take my place as a guilty sinner before God; and, confessing my sin to God, I trust his Son alone for my salvation. Believing Christ, I am assured by God himself that my sins are fully pardoned. God no longer charges me with sin. God looks upon me in his Son with perfect satisfaction and delight. In Christ all the blessedness of God's grace is secured to me. Why should I not be comforted? I once heard a friend say, "There is no bad news since I got the good news"; and he was correct.

2. I FIND GREAT COMFORT FOR MY HEART IN THE CHARACTER OF MY GOD, AS HE REVEALS HIMSELF IN THE SCRIPTURES. God's sovereignty comforts me. My gracious, loving Father rules this world. Therefore I know that nothing in this world shall do me any harm, but only good continually. God's immutability, his changelessness, comforts me. "He says, "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Mal.3:6). And I find my soul continually comforted by God's great faithfulness. Yes, God is faithful. We are feeble; but he is strong. We are fickle; but he is faithful. God is faithful to himself, faithful to his Word, faithful to his Son, and faithful to his people. With such a God as our God, with such a Father as our Father, why should we not be comforted?

3. AND MY SOUL FINDS GREAT COMFORT IN THE PROMISES OF GOD WRITTEN IN THE SCRIPTURES. The promises of God are many and they are all precious. Let me just remind you of one promise that is full of comfort for troubled hearts. The Lord our God has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5). Believer, remember this always: No matter what your trial or trouble may be, your God is with you. Let us live in the comfort of his presence, believing him, trusting him, clinging to him. Live today in the comfort of the Scriptures. It will give you patience and hope.