The Comforter
Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless
I looked for sympathy but there was none,
for comfort but I found none.
Psalm 69:20
Anyone familiar with the psalms knows how often David found himself being persecuted. Many of the psalms express his difficulty that God allows it to go on. But there isn’t a single psalm where this difficulty doesn’t somewhere give way to praise, as David begins to look beyond himself to God’s immensity. This psalm follows the pattern; verses 30 to 36 find David almost unable to find words to express his thanks and worship.
There will be times for all of us when we really need comfort and just won’t be able to find it – from anyone! Where’s God in this? Why does He let it happen? God, don’t you care?
It isn’t that God doesn’t want to comfort you; believe me, He really, really does! But sometimes He won’t let anyone else comfort you because He wants to. If another person can bring real comfort, how much more can God?
John’s gospel records more of Jesus’ words about the Holy Spirit than any other gospel. And in John’s gospel we hear Jesus describing the Holy Spirit over and over as the Comforter. The word translated ‘Comforter’ means ‘one called alongside to help.’ The Holy Spirit is ‘called alongside to help’ us. When you next feel you would love someone to offer you some comfort, leave room that God might just turn up Himself – through the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
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