As I sit inside on this January day, the 1st day of the new year, I can hear the sounds of the wind howling outdoors. I had to venture outdoors early this morning to do a few morning chores. The air is cold and brings goose bumps as it hits my skin. You can see the branches of the trees swaying back and forth as the gusts begin to pick up. I can feel that the winter cold is alive this morning. I rush to hurry so I can get in out of the wind.
It is this very cold that makes me think of the trials that have touched my life that bring a chill over me. We can at times feel as though trials leave us freezing as we are left standing out in the cold.
I come inside and feel the warmth immediately. It warms my face as I enter the living room. I shake off the cold and set my work boots by the door. I am ready to be warm and cozy. I am feeling the comfort of not being touched by the cold winds that blow outdoors. You just don't realize how very cold it is until you are out in the wind. That wind that is hitting you in the face. You know that cold. It's the cold that you feel all the way through your bones.
This reminds me of God's love. He is my Protector. He shields me from all that tries to make me shiver. Although everything might be swaying around me, in Him I can stand firm. I can stand strong. It is He that brings me comfort. His love that lets me know that all is right as long as I am with Him. No matter the temps out in the world around me, in Him I can find warmth and sweet comfort.
He is like that extra comforter on your bed at night. He is the warmth you feel from the fire as you snuggle in warm. He fills us with such strength and comfort, how could we not believe in Him? How could we not see His provision and sustaining strength? Just what if He could give us a glimpse of all He has shielded us from? All we see at times is the circumstances around us, and forget that His hand is still upon us. He hasn't left us. He is bringing us in closer to Him. Closer so we can feel His mighty love and feel His tender arms wrapped around us.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
