ABILITY TO BREATHE COMFORT…There is a common concern among Christians…that they won’t be able to do the works of Christ effectively. This notion is a logical one. All we need to do is look at our weaknesses, and we can see we are not up to the challenge of ‘being Christ’ to others. But our strength to obey such a challenge does not come from our own energy, talents or personality.
“God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any afflictions, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ~II Cor. 1:3-4
This verse reveals the great secret of functional Christianity. Our ability to express Christ is poured into us and through us by God Himself. One of the things Jesus did over and over again during His brief time on earth was breathe comfort to others. So how do we take on that functional expression of Christ? We let Him breathe comfort to us in our times of affliction, then we turn to a brother in need and let the comfort we just experienced flow freely to them. It’s actually not our job to try to be like Christ, as much as just let Christ being Himself from within us! This is a critical point of understanding. When we ‘get it’, we will be able to express Christ quite easily. That’s what allows our Christianity to become functional…it’s how we master the ABILITY TO BREATHE COMFORT! ~verlon