Comfort is what I am craving.

I looked it up in the dictionary:

“[Comfort is] a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.”

Another description of comfort reads:

“The easing or alleviation of a person’s feelings of grief or distress.”

(Definitions from Oxford Languages.)

There’s a famous Christmas carol called: “God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen.” It is usually sang on churches and doorsteps, around this time of year. The lyrics read:

God rest you merry, gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay,

For Jesus Christ our Saviour

Was born upon this day,

To save us all from Satan’s power

When we were gone astray:

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

(God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen, 1961 version.)

I did a very small amount of Googling research regarding this merry tune.

It seems to me that the song is saying “May God grant you peace and happiness. May you not be concerned or distressed about anything unexpected. Instead, let God bring you news of His gospel which is freedom from distress, freedom from Satan’s power, in Christ the saviour of the world.”

When we sing tidings of comfort and joy, we are not wishing people a cosy Christmas in a warm house full of presents…

The song draws a connecting line between comfort and the gospel.

Let me be honest though – lately, I have been searching for comfort in anything but the gospel. I’ve been wanting money, a haircut, sugar, make up or a night away. In other words – I’ve been looking for comfort in things that don’t bring me lasting comfort, at all.

Do you find yourself doing that?

You believe in God, you love Him and you frequently sing songs about Him being faithful, strong, provider and true…

Yet, you are simultaneously searching for freedom from grief or distress in material things. Real, wordly things. A shopping trip for things that will make you feel good. A person that you think will sort all your problems. Cosy sofa and a bunch of marshmallows will fill your need… right?

Listen – I am not saying there is anything wrong with money or haircuts, a nice warm house, or people! But it’s when you reach for all that stuff above God – that’s where the problem lies.

And I think it’s only when we are honest with God about this stuff that we ever get our desire for comfort truly filled.

When I look for comfort in things apart from God, I personally wind up feeling… ashamed.

Feeling ashamed that I spent too much or ate too much. Feeling unsettled and empty, despite the fact that I’ve just had a fancy meal or a yummy mince pie. Feeling anxious because the person I was looking to provide my comfort has other plans…

But when I come to God and ask Him to fill my need for comfort, when I go to Him with my shame and my searching, that’s where I am reminded of the gospel. Emmanuel. Jesus with me. Baby boy in a manger; son of God on a cross. The one who looks at me like no one has ever looked at me. With those eyes of empathy; with those eyes of understanding.

Psalm 34 reads this:

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

Psalm 34: 4-7 NIV, my emphasis.

If there is one sole purpose behind everything I write, it is to inspire you to get closer to Jesus. I would love for you to seek the Lord – as the above Psalmist describes – and be absolutely amazed as He answers you personally.

I would love for you to be reminded that He just wants to hear from you. He doesn’t need a religious performance. He doesn’t need you to get clean first, or work harder. He doesn’t need you to be good or do anything differently. He can meet you where you are at. In whatever circumstance, wherever you are living, whatever is going on in your mind, or in your life; He is with you and wants you to reach out to Him.

Psalm 34 says: “ God delivered me.” Not only does God deliver us, but He does so with grace. He doesn’t put us to shame.

Here is the thing: I’ve been a Christian since 2013 and I still sometimes think that God will be mad at me when He sees what a mess I’ve made, or what a pickle I’ve got into.

But, believing God will be mad at me, or ashamed of me, is a lie. The truth is, He is the one who takes away the shame, He doesn’t tell us that we are as yucky as we feel. Even when I mess up He still loves me. He loves me when I feel yucky and when I feel lovely. Constant, steady love.

When I read the words: “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him” (Psalm 34:6,) I hear desperation.

And that gives me hope – we can come to God feeling broken and desperate – with sin and with shame – and He saves us, from all our troubles. We are supposed to go to Him and bare all, let Him take it away.

This is the gospel – not that we are lovely humans that didn’t need saving – but that we are broken. Yet, beautiful God has done everything to put us back together again. He wants to heal us, to gently restore us and to take away all that hurts.

If only we seek Him for our comfort.

If only we bring our shame before Him.

If only we bring all we are and all our stuff before Him.

If we are totally honest with Jesus; we will meet with His redeeming love.

Have you been believing that God is ashamed of you and doesn’t accept you? Have you been looking for comfort elsewhere, because you don’t feel worthy enough to come before the one who made you, loves you and sees you?

Here is a piece of truth I want you to swallow:

The Lord appeared to him [/her] from far away [and said] “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.“

Jeremiah 31:3, ESV, my brackets.

God is bigger than the shame. No matter how far off you feel.

God’s ready to comfort you. To take away all of that yucky, sticky, messy mess you feel. To take away the grief and distress that lay heavy on your shoulders.

God is ready to lift your pain away. He is ready to look into your eyes and fill your deepest desires.

So, when you sing that Christmas carol about merry gentlemen and comfort, remember that it’s not just a tune to hum to as you string the lights or warm the wine.

“Comfort and joy” is not just a pretty message on a Christmas card.

COMFORT is in CHRIST. In letting Jesus rid you of all the pain, constraint, grief and distress you’ve carried into this cold, December month.

My prayer for you is that you would allow God to comfort you with His face to face presence. I pray that you would let Jesus WOW you with His wonderful, fear-bursting promises. Most of all, I really want you to meet with the everlasting love of God – a love that I simply cannot explain with words!

Glad tidings, friend.