“God, who comforts the downcast . . .” 2 Corinthians 7:6
And who comforts like him? Go to some poor, melancholy, distressed child of God, and tell him sweet promises and whisper in his ear choice words of comfort. He is like the deaf adder, he does not listen to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. He is drinking gall and wormwood, and comfort him as you may, it will be only a note or two of mournful resignation that you will get from him, but you will bring forth no psalms of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets.
But let God come to his child, let him lift up his countenance, and the mourner’s eyes glisten with hope. Do you not hear him sing, “’Tis paradise, if you are here; If you depart, ’tis hell?”
You could not have cheered him, but the Lord has done it: he is the “God of all comfort.” There is no balm in Gilead, but there is balm in God. There is no physician among the creatures, but the Creator is Jehovah-rophi.
It is marvelous how one sweet word of God will make whole songs for Christians. One word of God is like a piece of gold, and the Christian is the gold beater, and can hammer that promise out for whole weeks.
So, then, poor Christian, you do not need to sit down in despair. Go to the Comforter, and ask him to give you consolation. You are a poor dry well. You have heard it said, that when a pump is dry, you must pour water down it first of all, and then you will get water.
Christian, when you are dry, go to God, ask him to shed abroad his joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job’s comforters after all—but go first and foremost to thy “God, who comforts the downcast,” and you will soon say, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”
Adapted from Morning and Evening.
