It is a great privilege to pray for others. I am blessed to daily receive prayer requests, and lift them before our Holy God.
Sometimes they are simple, daily needs. Recently the prayer needs have felt heavy. Tragic deaths, miscarriage, homelessness, unemployment, debilitating illness, robbery… not stories in the paper, but events touching people I know, even my own family.
I kneel before God in supplication, begging for His mercies on each soul affected.
And I ask Him to bring comfort.
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God’s Word is filled with comfort for us in our suffering.
David knew this:
Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me. (nasb)
We do not have to hide our pain from God.
Psalm 25:16-18 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged. bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
Psalm 31:9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.
1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties upon Him, because He cares for you.
He knows our suffering, He hears and responds when we call to Him:
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
And He promises comfort:
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Isaiah 49:13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.
Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
Revelation 21:4 – He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Not only does God respond to our distress and bring comfort, we can be encouraged knowing that through Him our suffering bears fruit:
HIS GLORY
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
GUIDANCE
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
PEACE
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
REST
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
MINISTRY
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
HEALING
Psalms 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
JOY
Jeremiah 31:13 …I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
Psalm 30:5 …Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. (akjv)
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We persevere in bringing our needs, and those of others, before the Lord, and we are assured of His comfort.
If you are suffering today, and one of these verses spoke deeply to your heart, may I suggest you pray about memorizing it? Hiding His Word in your heart will bring hope in dark moments. The Lord will bring His Words to mind when you most need them. They are His love letter to you.
Jeremiah 31:13 has been my comfort scripture for several months. My daughter went to Heaven last Oct and my mom went to Heaven the middle of this month. I keep this scripture before my eyes, reminding me He will take my sorrow and give me gladness
“I will turn their mourning into joy…” oh what a promise! I cling to that with you, Teresa.
This is a page I will be pinning! Thank you for all these verses in one place. It is a comfort to know we can cry out to Him with naked honesty and He will respond with compassion.
I am so thankful that our real God welcomes our real emotions. When we hurt He wants to hear us, and wants to heal us.
Thank you.