Comfort is for the Weak (thank heavens!)

Comfort has become sort of a dirty word in Christian circles. We deem it appropriate for older folks or those who have cancer, but feel that the everyday Christian shouldn't need comfort. Many Christians place themselves in uncomfortable settings to feel more spiritual (ie. fasting, super long prayer times, Promise Keepers, etc...). Not that those things are bad, because they aren't, it's just that it's easy to start believing that things that hurt a little are more spiritual. If we are not careful our motivation can become a bit off. The truth is, we need comfort and we want comfort. It's a fact of life that anyone who is uncomfortable instinctively and reflexively seeks comfort. Comfort is the homeostasis for which we were created. The Garden of Eden before the Fall (life as God intended) was the definition of comfort. Our desire for comfort in a painful, brutal world, is a sign that we were created for more than this world can offer. The problem isn't comfort, but that we take on the job of providing our own comfort, and that's a job that God wants all to Himself. The Garden of Eden worked because God provided all that Adam and Eve needed, and they trusted what He provided. When they sought to find their own comfort (knowing everything by eating from the forbidden tree) things broke down. The comfort we provide ourselves is always short lived and less than satisfying. (ie. drinking too much, hours in front of the tv, countless relationships, buying the newest and best...) Our challenge is to seek out the comfort that God uniquely provides, but that is for the next post.....