I was recently reminiscing about one of my favorite stuffed animals from childhood. It was a black pound puppy with sad eyes and floppy ears. I dubbed him Pouncy, and he went everywhere with me. He was a comfort on stormy nights and when I was nervous about staying at grandma’s house overnight. With all the happiness that little dog brought me, it’s no wonder that when I grew up I got a real life pound puppy and adopted a black lab puppy. He’s been just as much a companion, but not as easy to carry around.
Sometimes as an adult, I’ve often wished it were socially acceptable to still carry around that pound puppy. There are moments when you just need a stuffed animal hug to make you feel better. Of course, as adults, we handle our problems, insecurities, and fears differently, as we should. We as Christians have resources like God’s Word to lend comfort and encouragement.
Physical Comfort
In some of the most gut-wrenching trials of my life, the physical presence of God’s Word has been a great comfort. It sounds a little silly maybe, but I would sleep with my Bible under my pillow or next to me. I’m not sure if I thought it would help me by osmosis or what, but I can say it was a comfort. The pages of that Bible are well loved and tear stained and holding it close to my heart just felt good. I think it was just the way that I envisioned these verses:
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. Psalm 57:1-2
It was those moments with God’s Word that reminded me that I was tucked safely under His wing and that He was shielding me and protecting me while the storms raged around me.
Familiar Comfort
Do you have friends that you come back to after you haven’t talked in awhile, and when you finally get to sit down with them and look them in the eyes, you’re just like, “Hi!” But it is a meaningful “Hi” that’s full of more than just a greeting. It implies that you’ve missed them and you can’t believe it’s been so long since you’ve had an actual, real conversation with them. It’s the “Hi” of reconnection.
That’s how reading my Bible is sometimes. It may not even be that I’ve missed days reading, I’ve just somehow felt disconnected. Picking up God’s Word and feeling that familiar “Hi” is a comfort.
Refreshing Comfort
Just like it’s familiar, it’s refreshing to the soul. Scripture says that God’s Word always accomplishes its purposes.
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11
We can rely on God’s Word. It will prosper for God’s intended result. That’s refreshing! We have an ever changing world driven by social media and instant gratification, and it is so often overwhelming to try to keep up with the mood of the day. But we can absolutely lean on the truth of God’s Word.
With a new year upon us, how will God’s Word play a role in your life this year? Will you let it strengthen you? Challenge you? Sit next to you in quiet moments? Comfort you?
Love, April
