Your Comforter

Today's devotional is from Your Life Matters: Daily Reflections from the Psalms

"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever" - Psalm 30:11-12.

God is your Comforter. When you are in pain, He will provide solace and encouragement. When you are wounded, He will heal you. If you never know wailing and times of darkness, however, you will never know Him as your Comforter. Yet you can take matters into your own hands and try to comfort yourself through any number of self-medicating actions: addictions like shopping and eating, relationships that you know are not good for you, attitudes like self-pity and anger that make you feel life and the Lord are not fair.

Peter wrote in his epistle, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13).

Are you suffering? Are you trying to make yourself feel better or are you trusting that God will do that for you? Are you praising the Lord in the midst of your difficult circumstances?