Comfort in Troubles (August 6th, Part Two)

Praise to the God of All Comfort

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5

I have been leaning on the God of all comfort lately, as I seem to be going through some muddy waters lately. 

It is the month that Caleb died, four years ago--(is that possible?!) and although it does get softer every year (for the most part) it is still understandably a difficult time for me.  

I am thankful that my oldest daughter is officially on her own and now even in the market for a vehicle of her own, but it is certainly an adjustment knowing that there is a good chance that she won't be living here again.  

My oldest son is hardly ever home anymore as he is 18 now and will be going away to college, we think, in less than a month.  We miss his former ways of spending hours on the couch talking to me and my husband in the late hours of the evening.  He is usually with friends now.  He doesn't share much with us and that saddens me as he will be moving out soon.  

We have gone through struggles with one of our other sons and the parent/child relationship is one that is so difficult at times and constantly being tested.

To share that I struggle with my (weight and health) is an understatement.  Under the cloud of stress in my life I have allowed myself to gain weight and I don't feel good about myself.  I have always been able in the past to lose weight when necessary, but this time around it is difficult to focus on myself when there are so many other issues going on in my life.  I find many excuses to not attend to my health.     

...there are more struggles, but you get the idea.

I think that we can be our own worst enemies at times.  We allow the enemy to tell us things that break us down and saps our reserves.  You are not a good parent.  You can't even control your children.  You display no self control with yourself, how do you expect your children to?  If you were a better parent, Caleb would not have died, etc. etc. etc.  

I'm sure that all of you have a list of your own and can relate to the overwhelming feeling when the weight of the world seems to be heavier than you can bear.  I know that I can't do this on my own.  I have to rely on the strength of my Heavenly Father.  I have to try and shut my mind down from everything that the enemy is trying to distract me with and lay my burdens at the foot of the cross.  I have to choose to live one moment at a time. 

I have to choose to look for things to be thankful for.  I have to appreciate the many blessings in my life and to focus on the positive.  I know that I need to rely on God's wisdom and not my own: 

Those who trust in themselves are fools, 

    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.   Proverbs 28:26

I know that I need to immerse myself in God's Word or the enemy will fill me with his. 

Goodnight all...I'm going to read my Bible :)