Comfort in Suffering

I was reading tonight in my devotional about how Mary must have felt when she finally met with her Aunt and how they were able to share in their struggles together. Beth Moore puts it that Elizabeth was older with a questionable marriage -- borrowing maternity clothes from her friends grand daughters (figuratively of course) while Mary probably wasn't even showing yet... but here she could talk with her Aunt free of judgement free from fear of what others might think. They could share together and comfort each other....

2nd Corinthians's talks about this very thing... and as Beth Moore points out.. we get to be these people to others.. but today I'm praying for someone to be this for me. (Sounds selfish huh!)

It says: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. (vs. 3)

I'm learning that this comfort isn't necessarily fixing everything, but being that shoulder to cry on when we feel we have no one else to turn too.

Tonight I was feeling so judged by the world, I wanted to immediately come home and scream out to all my face book friends... I'm a liar, cheater, thief, adulterer, I am who you are so right not to want to be. But I have my King Jesus and He is all I need...He forgives me and loves me... so I don't need you!

but I think God knows better. God knows that in dire circumstances He is all we need... but the truth is.. as human beings we also need each other. That is why right in the middle of proclaiming the birth of Christ, as Beth Moore points out, the angel also tells Mary of her aunt who is in a similar situation.

So instead of yelling to the heavens how drastic a sinner I am (and for anyone thinking of judging, these were sins prior to becoming saved, though as every human I struggle with them still...) I instead put a verse from Romans about being judged... after all that was the root of my issue.. I've been feeling so judged.

Something to ponder: Romans 14: 12 - 13

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. ¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

I must say as I read this I think of how others have made me feel judged, but like them I need to think of how I might also be judging! I pray I'm never a stumbling block to anyone.