Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Into the Text
Sweet sister,
In a world that can be harsh and unforgiving, our homes are where our children learn about God’s love and grace and feel His comfort. As mothers, we have the amazing privilege of becoming the tender instruments of God’s comfort, offering rest and a listening ear to the souls entrusted to us. Our homes can be a safe place for our children to take refuge when they need to rest from all the troubles, anxiety, and heartache that, at times in our broken world, weigh them down.
To fight against the brokenness of our world, we can point our children to Jesus. He understood what it was like to face hardship and suffering. As we point them back to the one who can ultimately comfort them, we can come alongside and intentionally choose to fill our homes with understanding and patience. We can create homes where dreams are nurtured and disappointments are soothed as well as places where our children can unburden their hearts as we listen, counsel, and just be with them in the pain of the moment. We can choose to make our homes safe places where our hearts are tethered to theirs. When they mourn, we mourn. When they rejoice, we do, too.
The foundation of all of these actions and attitudes are rooted in God’s Word. Our children need to know where our care comes from: the care of Jesus, who went and paid the price for their sin and our sin. Truth intertwined with grace, love, mercy and the desire for righteousness is motivated by our love for Him.
May the words heard within our walls be those that build up as encouragement. May our children learn what it looks like to extend empathy and comfort so that they, too, can be a source of comfort to those God has placed in their lives. We want our homes to be the starting point to see the truths and actions of Christ go out to a hurting world.
Within our homes, let’s commit to comforting our children with the comfort we ourselves have received from God—comfort that overflows, comfort that heals, comfort that binds and builds up.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, make me a vessel of Your loving comfort. Help me to listen with empathy, to guide with Your wisdom, and to nurture with Your love. May my home be a place of comfort, where Your grace is known, and Your love is felt. Amen.