The Leader

Three years ago, before we got our beagle, Ellie, I began studying dog training. I read that dogs don’t want to be the “boss,” even though it may seem so at times.  Dogs desire someone to be the leader, the protector, and the provider for the “pack.”  However, if no one steps up to the job, our dog will act as the pack leader.

Humans, like dogs, seek a leader.  We want someone to show us the way we should go. 

During our first trip to New York, we clearly needed to know more about the layout of the city, especially the subway system.  (If you haven't been to New York City, there are a bunch of subway lines, each designated with a different color. The subway map looked like a whole box of crayons!) After that, our oldest daughter took it upon herself to memorize not only all the subway lines but also the layout of the avenues and streets.  When we returned to New York three years later for Thanksgiving, she was our leader.  She knew what she needed to know to guide us, we knew she knew and she knew that we knew.  It worked out well.  I particularly remember the seven of us walking to the spot to watch the Macy's parade. In a sea of people, we were each simply following our daughter. She was wearing a white wool cap, so I knew if I just kept that white hat in my sights, I wouldn't get lost.

We all just need, and want, a leader.

Thankfully, for those of us who have trusted in the Lord Jesus, we have the most perfect of leaders.  We have a leader who is not only completely capable of leading but abundantly desirous of leading as well.  He knows the way because He has been there before.  He created the land upon which the roads rest.  He made the sun which illuminates the way.  It is His creation, and He promises to lead and guide us through it. But He will not force us.  We must desire His leading, much like our little dog Ellie desires us to lead her.  Our heart’s prayer must be that of the psalmist…

“Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies; 

make Thy way straight before my face,” (Psalm 5:8.)

“...for Thou, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety,” (Psalm 4:8.)

When we turn our hearts to Him as our guide, He will perfectly fulfill His role.  

There is no other who can do so.

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:  for I am God, and there is none else.”

(Isaiah 45:22)

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

(John 10:27.)

Stand Still

In the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles,, the story is told of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who was a good king and had “riches and honor in abundance,” (2 Chronicles 18:1).  Several nations decided to league together to “come against Jehoshaphat to battle.”

When Jehoshaphat heard this, he was tempted and feared, but he did the best thing he could do, he “set himself to seek the Lord,” (v.3).  He also called all the people of Judah to ask help of the Lord and the people did as he requested.  They came together to fast and pray.

As all Judah, men, women, and children, stood together before the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the Levites and he proclaimed:

 “Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s,' ” (2 Chronicles 20:15). 

 

He went on to say, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:  set yourselves, stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem:  fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.”

In the morning, when they went out to face their enemies, King Jehoshaphat appointed singers unto the Lord to praise the “beauty of holiness” as they went out before the army.  As they went they said, “Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever.”

King Jehoshaphat and the children of Israel chose to do what the Lord had told them to do.  They chose to trust Him to fight for them.  They depended upon His strength and not their own.  "For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” So what was the outcome of that battle?

“And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten," (2 Chronicles 20:22). 

The three enemies began to fight against each other until all were dead and “none escaped.”

In our own lives, doesn’t it seem like we are often surrounded by the armies of our enemies?  Sometimes we feel as though we are being attacked on several different fronts at the same time.  We may feel as if we don’t know what to do.  In those moments, let us remember the experience of King Jehoshaphat and make the same choices he did.  Let us set ourselves to seek the Lord.  Let us follow the wise counsel of His Word and  stand still and “see the salvation of the Lord.” 

The battles we face are not ours, they belong to the Captain of our salvation.  His is the victory because He has already fought the battle and vanquished the foe.  He died on Calvary for our sins, after living a sinless life Himself.  Then He arose victorious from the grave, securely the victory over the enemy who was set upon destroying Him and now seeks to destroy us.  By trusting in Him as our Saviour and Lord, we claim HIS victory in every battle.  There is no enemy who can conquer our Lord.

Every moment, our Lord gently whispers to us the same thing He said to the disciples, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid,” (Matthew 14:27). When we are tempted to fear, let us remember His words and take heart, the battle is not our's, it is the Lord's.

“Through Thee will we push down our enemies:

through Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

But Thou hast saved us from our enemies,

and hast put them to shame that hated us.

In God we boast all the day long,

and praise Thy name for ever.

Selah.”

Psalm 44: 5-8

“Now thanks be unto God,

which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.”

2 Corinthians 2:14

Absolutely No Idea

 

This morning I was straightening the house. Our sweet beagle, Ellie, was resting on the couch, waiting for our walk.  As I walked past her, I couldn't resist stroking her head and running my fingers across her velvety ears.  I told her, "You have no idea how very much you are loved."

That is true.  She is loved not only by me and my husband but by all of our family.  Our best friends love her, too.  People we pass on the street during our walks ask to pet her.  The ladies at the coffee shop we visit have Ellie's pupcup ready before they make our coffee!  She loves, and she is loved.

But immediately after speaking those words to Ellie, I thought how very true that is of myself.  I have absolutely no idea how much I am loved.  

I know my friends love me; they are effusive in their expression of love. I know Ellie loves me; she follows me around the house, wanting to be in the same room with me. (This may be because she hopes to get a tidbit of food I have, or maybe -if she's really lucky- a sip of my coffee.) I know my family loves me, too; they clearly show that in so many ways. I would have to be blind and deaf not to know my husband loves me.  It is the goal of his life with me to cause me to know that truth.

But that wasn't the thought that came to my mind.  The thought was, "You have absolutely no idea how much the Lord loves you."

It brings tears to my eyes just writing the words.  Our Lord loves us so much that He gave that which was most precious to Him, His dear Son, so we might be redeemed.  He has prepared a life for us beyond this mortal realm so wondrous the Scriptures say of it,

"But as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,' " 

1 Corinthians 2:9.

If I began to list all the things in my life that are proofs of God's love, I could not finish before I take my last breath.  Yet, there are so many more that I never even knew.  Ways He orchestrated things so that I was in the right place at the right time.  Ways He provided and protected me of which I was unaware.  Choices He led me to make that were to bring untold blessings, such as introducing myself to a handsome young man in Sunday School forty-seven years ago.  Or deciding at the last minute not to major in Journalism but to go into Nursing. Or having the "pick of the liter" and picking the most wonderful beagle puppy of all.

We will have doubts about many things in our lives, but the fact that God loves us more than we will ever know should not be one of them.  As Glen wrote in the lyrics of one of our songs, "Let it rule your hearts and set your spirits free."  God loves us. It is as simple and glorious and complex as that.  All we have to do is believe it.

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, 
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, 
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:39

"For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 

but have everlasting life."
John 3:16

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 

that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 

may be able to comprehend with all saints 

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

Ephesians 3:17-19

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, 
and the communion of the Holy Ghost, 
be with you all. Amen."
2 Corinthians 13:14

A Bed on Wheels

 Children have a way of finding joy in little, unexpected things. 

Once, I was walking with our youngest grandchildren, then four and six, and they noticed some pretty leaves on the ground. They both picked one up. Then my granddaughter, Evelyn, had the idea to collect leaves to give to her mother as a gift. Her brother joined in, and soon they both had a little brown bag of leaves for their Mom. They were so proud of their gifts and so happy with the little leaves. These little things that most adults would pass by without notice enthralled them. This affected me, and sometimes, when we are out on our walks, I will find things along the way - a pretty flower or an interesting stick- and I’ll think, “I want to keep that to show the grandchildren when they come.”  For children, contentment comes so easily.

Lila in her "bed with wheels"

This is how it was with Lila, the six-year-old daughter of a dear friend, who recently had her tonsils removed.  Prior to the surgery, she told her mother she was excited about being pushed in a “bed on wheels.”  While she was also excited about all the ice cream she could eat, I think she was more excited about the bed.

Would that we would be as contented as little children. But for us, it is a conscious choice of faith. The Scriptures are full of admonitions for us to "be content."

"And having food and raiment let us be therewith content," 1 Tim 6:8.

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,' Hebrews 13:5."

If the Lord promises to never leave us - and He has - then we have the very best we can ever have; we have HIM. That is even better than being pushed around in a bed with wheels or eating ice cream to our heart's content. There is nothing more we need in our hearts or our lives.

Or, as I like to say,

Trust in the Lord always, for having Him, we have all.

Hair in the Brush - Revised

 This post was originally written on September 9, 2008.  We are revising it here today.

Hair in The Brush       

 The other day, after brushing my hair, I noticed how much hair was stuck in my brush.  The verse came to mind, “... the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30)” 

As I looked at the rather substantial amount of hair in the brush I wondered just how many hairs were there.  I couldn’t begin to guess and I certainly didn’t want to take the time or effort to count them.  But of course, the Lord knew the answer at that moment, as He does in every moment.  The number is constantly changing, because I am one of those people who constantly loses hair throughout the day.  I am not sure who leaves more hair on the floor, me or our dog Ellie.

Then I wondered, why does the Lord number the hairs on our heads?  It couldn’t be just for punctilious knowledge. (Okay, I confess, "punctilious" is one of my favorite words, but I hardly ever get to use it, so I had to throw it in there when I could.)  There has to be a reason why He numbers our hairs, after all, as the human body goes, hairs are just about the most inconsequential things we have.  It’s one of the things in our body we can lose and still function well.  

There is an obvious reason why He numbers them and that is because He loves us. 

I love our beagle Ellie and I know all about her body.  I am the one to bathe her, to brush her teeth, and to trim her paws.  I know the size and location of that little lump she has by her right foreleg (the one the vet says is okay, but just keep an eye on it to make sure it isn’t growing.)  Why do I know all that? Because I love her and I take care of her.

But there is something else about God numbering our hairs.  He doesn’t just number the hairs on our heads, He numbers our skin cells, too.  And our cardiac cells, and our nerve cells, our white blood cells …every cell in our bodies.  At this very moment, He knows which cardiac cells are contracting in sync and which are resting.  He knows our blood sugar, our cholesterol, our blood pressure.  He knows all this - and so much more- for every single human alive.  Not only that, but He knows those things for every animal, every insect, every reptile, and every living creature.  He knows the plants, too. He knows every atom in every part of His creation. Why?  Precisely because we are His creation and He keeps that creation upheld His power.  

This is not an objective, scientific, detached knowing.  It is like my knowing of Ellie, only so much greater.  It is an intimate, loving caring knowing.  It is the knowing of a tender Father who knows and cares for His child and seeks the best in that child’s life.  

In every moment, every second, He knows minute changes in our bodies that we will never know. At the same time, He is working in us to do and to will of His good pleasure spiritually.  

He knows the path upon which we walk and the feet with which we walk it.  He knows which steps bring pain and which paths fill us with joy.  Like a little child, who instinctively lifts their little hand up to their parent, may we have the wisdom to know how much we also need to be led and to trust the One who knows us much more than wwe can ever know ourselves.

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."

I Peter 5:7

Pray

 "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem"

Psalm 122:6

The Tree I Couldn't See

During a recent walk with Ellie in our neighborhood, my mind wandered as she explored her surroundings with that beagle nose of hers. Suddenly, I came across some small golden flowers on the sidewalk, which I didn't recognize. When I looked to find their source, I could only see the intertwined branches of cedar, pine, and oak trees. It wasn't until we had walked a distance away and I turned back toward home that I saw the tree responsible for producing those lovely blossoms.  When I had looked before, I was just too close to see the tree.

The tree had magnificent green leaves and was decorated with countless small, golden flowers. It was hard to believe that I had never seen this tree before, even though I had lived on this street for over three decades.

The tree reminded me of ourselves in our Christian lives.  The Lord is working in us every minute, every second to conform us "to the image of His Son," whether we know it or not.  

We may not be able to see the fruits of His working in us today, but one day we will.  He will have completed His work and our earthly bodies, which now bear the strains of corruption, shall "put on incorruption" (1 Corinthians 15:54).  All things shall be new, including us.

"But as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' " 

1 Corinthians 2:9

When we read that verse I often think of heaven, the beauties, the wonders, the glories we will behold.  All that is true, but there is something so much more.  We can not imagine what the Lord has prepared in us.  IN us.  He is using everything in our lives to conform us to "His dear Son."

"But we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is," (1 John 3:2.)

 I may not know all this verse means, but I understand the phrase "we shall be like Him."  We will have been conformed to His image.  We shall never again know pain, suffering, or weakness.  Our desire, our joy will always be to do that which pleases Him.  As Glen and I have often said, our greatest days are ahead!

His Way is Perfect, Revisited

 This is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Month.  

According to the March of Dimes, 10 -20% of women who know they are pregnant will have a pregnancy loss.   Eighty percent of those will occur before the 12th week of pregnancy.  Yet, it is rarely talked about, even among women. 

 It was 35 years ago on this date we had our miscarriage.

Sometimes it feels odd to me when this date rolls around and only my husband, myself, and my good friend remember the significance.  This was such a monumental day in our lives, and yet it is only commemorated by a small heart and a sad face on my calendar.  Stored away, I have the cards sent to me after my miscarriage.  Occasionally I take them out and look at them.  One might think that after 35 years the pain would have diminished, but even as I type this I have tears in my eyes.

Why don't women talk about having had a miscarriage? I was surprised at how many women I worked with admitted they had miscarried because they had never spoken of it before.  Women who experience any type of pregnancy and/or infant loss need to feel free to speak of their experience.  They need to be supported and given every opportunity to thoroughly heal.

If you know someone experiencing a pregnancy or infant loss, one of the best gifts you can give them is to let them tell their story.  Don't interrupt, and don't try to offer platitudes that sound good, but really don't help at all.  Just listen.  Let them talk as long as they need to.  They will get few opportunities to do so.

I repost this story every couple of years.  Here is our story.

October 5th never passes without me reliving the heartbreak of that day, often without speaking about it to anyone.   

It was my third pregnancy.  I had a positive pregnancy test, but my doctor was out of town for a couple weeks and the woman at the office told me it was okay to wait to see the doctor since I worked every day with OB-GYNs, "in case something happened."  My other pregnancies had gone so well, that I thought the chances of that "something" actually happening were quite remote.

Then one night at work I started bleeding.  Just a little, but enough to be concerning.  I spoke to one of the female residents (who would later become my OB-GYN) and she advised me to go to the office after work and be evaluated.

Glen went with me and we were both quiet on the way.  I kept telling myself it was not serious and everything would be okay.  That was until I looked up at the ultrasound screen.  I had seen enough fetal ultrasounds to know it was definitely NOT going to be okay.

The pregnancy was over.

Driving away from the office, I glanced through my tears at Glen and saw tears running down his face as well.  His heart was broken just as much as mine.  He offered to take me to see my Daddy, who was often a source of comfort for me, but I remember saying, "No, I want to see my Momma."

Once I reached my mother's office, she knew by my face there was a problem.  When I told her, she took me in her arms and hugged me for a long time, and for a moment I felt like a child again.

But I had my own children to care for and I was concerned about how they were going to respond to the news.  But actually, at eight and six, they were more distraught over their pet goldfish, Henry, dying the same day, than the loss of a baby they had never seen. They were sympathetic, though.

One day I was sitting on the couch, and our son Noah came up to me and asked, "Momma, are you sad about the baby?"  That tells you everything to know about his tender heart.

All I have to remind me of that baby, which we were sure would have been a boy, are some congratulatory cards we received, the subsequent cards of condolences, and a picture Noah had drawn of the baby inside of me. And of course,  the pain in our hearts.

But the Scriptures promise of God that He "healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3.) 

If that pregnancy had continued, we would have loved the child with all our hearts.    He would have been as special to us as Marie and Noah.  But he would have been the last.  We never planned to have more than three and there definitely would not have been a fourth.

Emmie as a toddler

That would mean there would have been no Emmie Rose.  The thought of that brings tears to my eyes...my life with no Emmie.  

Born three years after our miscarriage, Emmie was a joy to all four of us.  

Her siblings were incredibly involved during the pregnancy and adored their baby sister after she arrived.  Noah was so enthralled with her on the day of her birth, that he refused to leave the room.  Even food could not tempt him away.  He was going to stay with his baby sister.

Emmie did not replace our other baby, but his loss made us appreciate her even more.  In bringing Emmie into our lives, the Lord did a marvelous work of redemption, restoration, and healing.

We often don't understand how God works in our lives, how or why He allows some things to happen and other things to not happen.  I suspect there are things we will never fully understand.  But there is one thing we can know for sure, "as for God, His way is perfect." (Psalm 18:30.)  I could have never predicted the pain and misery of October 5, 1988, would be followed with such joy on July 26, 1991, but it was.  

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28

All Things Work Together for Good

words and music by Glen Davis

All things work together for good,

in the hearts and lives of those who love the Lord.

The pleasures and the pains,

the sunlight and the rains,

All things work together for good,

all things work together for good.

An unseen Hand weaves all the threads,

a heart of grace works for our best.

To make us like His Son,

He leaves nothing undone,

All things work together for good,

all things work together for good.

For good, for good.

All things work together for good.

Click here to listen to "All Things Work Together for Good"

The Little Violets

 

As a present on Mother’s Day, my youngest granddaughter, Evelyn, gave me some violets.  The tiny pink blossoms perfectly matched the pink container in which they grew.

At first, I put them in the room where I tend to write.  It wasn’t long before I realized they needed something I wasn’t giving them.  I researched violet care and found they preferred diffused eastern light.  I had them facing a western window with almost direct sun.  The only place I could find that perfectly matched what they liked best was my bathroom window.  So, I moved them to that window sill. 

Every morning they greet me with their pretty pink blossoms.  However, they did not do as well there as I expected.  Then I realized they were missing something.  They needed to be fed! 

I purchased some violet food and began to feed them every two weeks according to the package directions.  For my tiny violets, the violet food is 1/4 a teaspoon in a quart of water.  They get about a tablespoon in their container twice a month. That one bottle of violet food will last me forever!

But the tiny bit of food has made a tremendous difference in the violets. Before they would have one or two blooms, now they have an abundance of pink faces looking up at me each morning. 

Evelyn

The simple sight brings me joy.  That joy is compounded when I think of my four-year-old granddaughter telling her mother that she wanted to give me these for Mother’s Day.

A tiny bit of food made a big difference. 

We all need food as well.  Not just physical food, but spiritual food.  I once heard a gentleman say, “Read the Bible every day, even if it is only one verse.”  Many may not feel they have the time or opportunity to read large passages of Scripture each day. But perhaps we can read one chapter or even one verse.

 If we cannot stop to read the Bible at this moment, let us think of the verses that are most likely stored away in our memory and recite them to ourselves.  That tiny bit of the Lord’s Word would be like the tiny bit of food my violets are thriving upon. The Scriptures have many themes of small things leading to big things, such as the tiny mustard seed, which the Lord described as "the least of all seeds," growing into "the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof," (Matthew 13:31, 32.)

Let us then set apart a few minutes each day to read and to think about God’s word, to remember it in our hearts, even if it is just a verse or two. And like my tiny violets, let us turn our faces to our Lord and Creator.

“When Thou saidst, Seek ye my face;
my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”   
Psalm 27:8

Starry Night, or Morning, Rather

The other morning I was walking our dog, Ellie, before sunrise.*  As I glanced upward, I was surprised by the perfectly clear sky.  The moon, an orange sliver of a crescent, was just beginning to smile at us through the trees.  

I marveled at the beauty of the stars in the eastern sky and of Venus, shining like a diamond.  I counted seventeen stars that were visible to me.  I know by education and experience that what I saw was just a tiny, tiny fraction of the stars actually in the sky.  

Several years ago when we traveled to Arkansas to visit our friend, Jay, we saw the most beautiful display of stars I have ever seen in my life. (You can read about that trip here.)  The sky was so full it almost looked textural, like a knitted cap.

As Ellie sniffed around, I contemplated the magnitude of the creation in which our Lord has placed us.  Every time man thinks he has come to the "edge of the universe" some advanced telescope shows us there is so much more the be discovered and explored. It was then the thought came to me.  If our Lord's creation is so incredibly beautiful and vast, how much more so must He be! There is no end to His love, no limit to His grace, no expiration on His goodness, because He Himself is limitless.  

The Scriptures tell us this is true.

"Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite." Psalm 147:5

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding."  Isaiah 40:28

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:8,9

"But who is able to build Him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? " 2 Chronicles 2:6

"Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all." 1 Chronicles 29:11

The next time we think we know all there is to know about God, first, let us fall to our knees and ask forgiveness for our pride and audacity.  Then let us remind ourselves we will forever be learning more and more about our blessed Lord.  There will be no end to the glorious discoveries as there is no end to Him. 

Shoreless Ocean, who can sound Thee?

Thine own eternity is round Thee,

Majesty divine!

(Frederick W. Faber)

*It has been so hot along the Gulf Coast recently, that we must get up very early to walk so that we don't overheat Ellie, or ourselves!

Wherewith We Ourselves Are Comforted

  "Blessed be God, even the Father of mercies, 

and the God of all comfort; 

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, 

that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, 

by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 

2 Corinthians 1: 3,4.

As I write this, we are having a thunderstorm, and our little dog, Ellie is snuggled close beside me.  When the thunder and lightning frighten her, I love to have her climb up on my lap. I usually wrap a blanket around her so she will know she is safe and protected.  I love comforting her because I love her. How much more does our God, whom the Scriptures refer to as "the God of all comfort," love to comfort us? 

There are frequent verses in the Bible referring to God's comfort to His children.  The Lord Jesus comforted so many.  He comforted the woman who had a blood disease for twelve years as He healed her (Matthew 9:22). He comforted the blind man as He gave him sight, (Mark 10:49, 50). He comforted Mary and Martha before He brought their brother Lazarus forth from the grave, (John 11:19).  How many more examples of His great comfort were there that were not recorded in Scripture? 

If we have an earnest desire to comfort our children, even our dogs, how much more does our Lord desire to comfort us?  He so wants us to know His peace, His provision, His joy, His comfort, His love, His understanding.  Mainly, He wants us to know Him. 

In our moments of pain and sorrow, perplexity and trouble, let us look first to the "God of all comfort" that we may know Him as the source of all we need.  If and when the solution for the things that trouble us becomes evident, let us then look to our Lord as the hand that provided, that healed, that protected, that was all we needed Him to be in every situation. Then, our Lord desires us to take that comfort, "wherewith we ourselves are comforted," and share it with others.  He wants us to be the human vehicle of His heavenly and eternal comfort to our world.  We can comfort others because we have been comforted by Him.  

Let us choose to take every opportunity to spread His comfort throughout our world and to be the hands and feet of His abundant supply to His children.

"Sing, O heavens; and be joyful O earth; 

and break forth into singing, O mountains: 

for the Lord hath comforted His people, 

and will have mercy upon His afflicted." 

Isaiah 49:13

"...Christ is all, and in all." 

Colossians 3:11