Part 2 of a series of giving comfort to those in need of it from principles derived from the Bible

1. The Ministry of Giving
Comfort
by Samuel E. Ward
Part 2

2. III. How Comfort Is Impeded
In Part 2 of our study of the “Ministry
of Giving Comfort” we will focus on a
biblical understanding of the ministry of
comfort by noting. . .
A. Comfort Can Be Forfeited When We
Refuse to Face Our Sin.
Some people struggle to find comfort
in their sorrow and pain but fail to find it
for a variety reasons.

3. 1. God is with us—but we are not with
God.
(Isa 59:1-2 NIV) Surely the arm of the
LORD is not too short to save, nor his
ear too dull to hear. {2} But your
iniquities have separated you from
your God; your sins have hidden his
face from you, so that he will not hear.

4. (Psa 66:18-19 NIV) If I had cherished sin
in my heart, the Lord would not have
listened; {19} but God has surely
listened and heard my voice in prayer.

5. 2. God will send comfort when we
experience godly sorrow for sin and it
leads to repentance. Being sorry
without repentance brings death.
(2 Cor 7:8-10 NIV) Even if I caused you
sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it.
Though I did regret it--I see that my
letter hurt you, but only for a little
while-- {9} yet now I am happy, not
because you were made sorry, but
because your sorrow led you to
repentance.

6. For you became sorrowful as God
intended and so were not harmed in
any way by us. {10} Godly sorrow
brings repentance that leads to
salvation and leaves no regret, but
worldly sorrow brings death.

7. (Psa 34:12-16 NIV) Whoever of you loves
life and desires to see many good
days, {13} keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies. {14}
Turn from evil and do good; seek
peace and pursue it. {15} The eyes of
the LORD are on the righteous and his
ears are attentive to their cry; {16} the
face of the LORD is against those who
do evil, to cut off the memory of them
from the earth.

8. B. Comfort Can Elude Us When We Seek
it in Wrong Places.
1. It is not wise to seek comfort without
regard for God’s Word.
(Prov 18:2 NIV) A fool finds no pleasure
in understanding but delights in airing
his own opinions.

9. 2. It is not wise to seek comfort by
indulging in worldly pleasures or losing
ourselves in our work.
(Eccl 2:10-11 NIV) I denied myself nothing
my eyes desired; I refused my heart no
pleasure. My heart took delight in all my
work, and this was the reward for all my
labor. {11} Yet when I surveyed all that
my hands had done and what I had toiled
to achieve, everything was meaningless,
a chasing after the wind; nothing was
gained under the sun.

10. 3. It is not wise, or possible, to find
salvation or lasting comfort in anyone
but Christ.
(Acts 4:12 NIV) Salvation is found in no
one else, for there is no other name
under heaven given to men by which
we must be saved."

11. C. Comfort Offered by Fault-finders
Rather than Faith-builders Can Be
Useless.
(Job 16:1-6 NIV) Then Job replied: {2} "I
have heard many things like these;
miserable comforters are you all! {3}
Will your long-winded speeches never
end? What ails you that you keep on
arguing? {4} I also could speak like
you, if you were in my place; I could
make fine speeches against you and
shake my head at you.

12. {5} But my mouth would encourage
you; comfort from my lips would bring
you relief. {6} "Yet if I speak, my pain is
not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not
go away.
As someone has aptly said, “There is a
reason why God has given us two ears
and only one mouth.” Or stated another
way, “God gave us two ears and one
mouth, so we can hear twice as much as
we say.”

13. D. Comfort Originating from the Wicked
Destroys Our Hope for Blessing.
(Psa 1:1-2 NIV) Blessed is the man who
does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers. {2} But
his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and
night.

14. E. We Can Seek Comfort in Addictions
that Will Either Numb the Pain We Feel
or Cause More Pain.
(Prov 23:29-35 NIV) Who has woe? Who
has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has
complaints? Who has needless
bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
{30} Those who linger over wine, who
go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

15. {31} Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup, when it
goes down smoothly! {32} In the end it
bites like a snake and poisons like a
viper. {33} Your eyes will see strange
sights and your mind imagine
confusing things. {34} You will be like
one sleeping on the high seas, lying on
top of the rigging. {35} "They hit me,"
you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They
beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I
wake up so I can find another drink?"

16. Conclusion
"To paraphrase the Bible," Ayn Rand
[wrote], "the modern attitude is,
'Father, forgive us, for we know not
what we are doing - and please don't
tell us!"

17. The attitude of our day is we don’t
know what we are doing, praying won’t
help because there is no God, thinking
won’t help because there are no answers,
and there are no answers because there
is no truth.

18. However, …
1. God agrees with man that he does not
know what he is doing.
(Psa 94:11 NIV) The LORD knows the
thoughts of man; he knows that they
are futile.

19. 2. God disagrees with man that there is
no God because He has revealed
Himself in history so that we can pray
and it will help.
(Isa 46:9 NIV) Remember the former
things, those of long ago; I am God,
and there is no other; I am God, and
there is none like me.

20. 3. God disagrees with man that there are
no answers to the human condition
and promises to give answers to any
seek Him and ask in faith.
(Prov 8:17 NIV) I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.

21. (Jer 29:11-13 NIV) For I know the plans I
have for you," declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a
future. {12} Then you will call upon me
and come and pray to me, and I will
listen to you. {13} You will seek me and
find me when you seek me with all
your heart.

22. (James 1:5 NIV) If any of you lacks
wisdom, he should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.

23. 4. God disagrees with man that there is no
truth and has sent him the Truth Who is
Jesus Christ.
(John 14:6 NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the
way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.

24. There should be a lot of comfort in
those words. To deny or neglect this
truth is to deny yourself the only true
and lasting source of comfort you
have—the Lord Jesus Christ.