Essential Training for God's Divine Ministry of Comfort

I was reading a book I found at Ollie's (if you have not been to one and enjoy books, you should go...they have a great book selection at very reasonable prices) it is called Streams in the Desert Hope for Hurting Hearts. It is much the same as my daily devotional called Streams in the Desert and they are both written by L.B Cowman.

Here was what I read today...

It gave me so much hope in knowing God will use our family!

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." Isaiah 40:1

Store up comfort. This was the Prophet Isaiah's mission. The world is full of hurting and comfortless hearts. But before you will b competant for this lofty ministry, you must be trained. And your training is extremely costly for to make it complete, you too must endure the same afflictions that are wringing coutless hearts of tears and blood. Consequently, your own life becomes the hospital ward where you are taught the divine art of comfort. You will be wounded so that in the binding up of your wounds by the Great Physician, you may learn how to render first aid to the wounded everywhere.

Do you wonder why you are having to experience some great sorrow? Over the next ten years you will find many others afflicted in the same way. You will tell them how you suffered and were comforted. As the story unfolds, God will apply the anesthetic He once used on you to them. Then in the eager look followed by the gleam of hope that chases the shadow of despair from your soul, you will know why you were afflicted. And you will bless God for the discipline that filled your life with such a treasure of experience and helpfulness.

God comforts us not to make us comfortable but to make us COMFORTERS!

Written by : John Henry Jowett

WOW! I pray that I remain obedient and allow God to use me to comfort others who are enduring intense suffering. Being used in this way is such a privelage and I do not feel worthy of the task, but will give it everything I have!