Find True Comfort in Faith: Embrace 'The God of All Comfort'
Digest: The God of All Comfort by Hannah Whitall Smith
It is impossible for anyone who really knows God to have such uncomfortable thoughts about Him.
Hannah Whitall Smith's 'The God of All Comfort' delves into the essence of true Christianity, emphasizing that it should be a source of joy, peace, and comfort. Smith, a renowned Christian writer and speaker, explores the reasons behind the spiritual discomfort many believers experience, despite the Bible's promises of love and peace. She argues that a lack of true trust in God's promises and a misunderstanding of His nature are the primary causes. By understanding God's true character through Christ and embracing a simple, child-like faith, believers can find comfort and spiritual stability. This book offers advice and reflections to guide readers towards a deeper, more comforting experience of their faith.
Key Ideas:
Faith Precedes Comfort: Hannah Whitall Smith emphasizes that true comfort in one's spiritual life comes from faith, not the other way around. She argues that people often seek comfort first before they can believe in God's comforting words. 'God says, 'Believe, and then you can feel.' We say, 'Feel, and then we can believe.' This reversal of God's order leads to discomfort and spiritual stagnation. By putting faith first, akin to trusting a conductor’s guidance on a train, believers can achieve genuine comfort.
God as the Good Shepherd: Smith draws comfort from the image of God as the Good Shepherd as described in Psalm 23 and John's gospel. She recounts her personal experience of coming to understand the depth of this metaphor during a moment of crisis. Through the declaration, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,' she illustrates how focusing on God's role as the Shepherd, who bears responsibility for our well-being, can transform our spiritual outlook. Believing this deeply ensures our spiritual needs are met, just like sheep are cared for by a good shepherd.
Embrace the 'Much More' of God's Promises: Smith emphasizes the abundance and sufficiency of God's promises using the phrase 'much more.' She teaches that since God has already accomplished the greater task of reconciling us to Himself through Christ's death, He is surely capable and willing to fulfill our lesser needs, such as providing us with the Holy Spirit, victory over sin, and meeting daily needs. 'If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?' This idea underlines the concept that our doubts and struggles often stem from a lack of faith in God's abundant promises.
The Power of Thanksgiving: Smith stresses that giving thanks transforms one's outlook and aligns the believer with God's will. 'In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.' She contrasts the attitudes of thanksgiving and complaining, noting that thanksgiving leads to comfort and peace, while complaining breeds discontent and frustration. By recognizing God’s control and goodness in every situation, even in adversity, Christians can experience true comfort and joy.
Trust in God's Strength, Not Your Own: Smith underscores a crucial concept: believers need to trust in God's power to fight their battles and not rely on their strength. She describes the name 'Jehovah-nissi' meaning 'The Lord my Banner,' which Moses discovered when God gave the Israelites victory over Amalek. She elaborates, 'Our part in this fight is to hand the battle over to the Lord, and to trust Him for the victory.' This surrender and trust are critical, as human effort alone is insufficient for spiritual victories.
Reject Discouragement: Smith underscores that discouragement originates from an evil source and obstructs faith. 'Discouragement must be an absolute barrier to faith. And that where discouragement rules, ... discouragement is faith in evil.' The text underscores that discouragement opens the door to negative outcomes, contrasting sharply with the courage that faith in God's goodness brings. The allegory of Satan's imp inducing discouragement serves as a warning that giving in to self-doubt and discouragement is tantamount to aligning oneself with negativity rather than trusting in God's promises.
God's Names Reflect His Character and Provision: Smith emphasizes that the various names of God in the Bible—Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah-shalom, Jehovah-tsidkenu, and Jehovah-shammah—each reveal specific aspects of His character. For instance, 'Jehovah-jireh' means 'The Lord will provide,' illustrating God's readiness to meet our needs without us even asking. Smith writes, 'When God...says to us, 'I am he that seeth thy need,' He in reality says also, 'I am he that provideth,' for He cannot see, and fail to provide.' By understanding these names, believers can better appreciate the breadth and depth of God's care and provision.
Practical Tips:
Choose to Believe: Actively decide to trust in God's comforting promises despite how your circumstances might seem. 'We must put our wills into this matter of being comforted, just as we have to put our wills into all other matters in our spiritual life.'
Surrender Daily Battles to God: Start each day by explicitly handing over your struggles, fears, and tasks to God, trusting Him to manage them. 'Our part in this fight is to hand the battle over to the Lord.'
Embrace a Thanksgiving Mindset: Make a conscious effort to thank God in all circumstances, especially when things seem tough. This could involve keeping a gratitude journal, where you note down daily blessings and express thanks for both obvious and hidden gifts from God.
Reject Discouragement: Whenever you feel discouraged, recognize it as an impediment to your faith. Treat discouragement like an intruder and replace it with positive affirmations of God’s faithfulness and presence in your life.
Reflect on God's Promises: Regularly meditate on scriptural assurances of God's care, such as those found in Matthew 6:26-30. This practice helps reinforce trust in His words.
Key Quotes:
He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
There is absolutely only one thing that can hinder Him, and that is, if the sheep will not trust Him and refuse to let Him take care of them.
God says that He is our dwelling place, and the Bible contains all the necessary papers, duly attested and signed... You must move in.
We have been slaves where we ought to have been kings. We have found our reigning to be 'much less' rather than 'much more.
One look at Christ is worth more for salvation than a million looks at self.
Our part in this fight is to hand the battle over to the Lord, and to trust Him for the victory.
No matter how affairs may look, we may be sure of this that because God is good no promise of His has ever failed, or can ever fail. Heaven and earth may pass away, but His Word never.
Faith is the only door into the kingdom of Heaven, and there is no other.
Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.