Consolation, Part 3

We now come to step three that our Lord gave us to experience the consolation that is in Him: Learning of Him. Many of our distresses and sorrows are lightened as we learn of the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you ever felt drained only to be revived when you heard a good gospel sermon and learned something about your Lord? If so, then you have received of the consolation that is in Christ. As we learn of Christ, we learn of One Who is meek and lowly in heart. Many of our heavy burdens arise from our own pride and rebellion, which are the opposite of meekness and lowliness. If we would learn of Christ to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand and submit to His will, we would see many unnecessary burdens fall away. I know that some of my heaviest burdens arise from the fact that I am not accepting something God is permitting in my life, something I cannot change or control. But when I humble myself and accept what God has allowed, I discover a sense of relief as well as a supply of grace to bear it.

James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7  Submit yourselves therefore to God.

There is so much consolation to be found in learning of Christ as He is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. The following passage speaks to our point:

Psalms 119:49  Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
50  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

The word of God comforts us in our affliction because it quickens us, that is, it revives and restores vigour to us. When we are invigourated, the affliction we bear is lightened because we have more energy with which to bear it.

Observe how this passage links the comfort of the word of God with the hope it proclaims. When, in the troubles of life, you flee for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that God’s word sets before you, then you find a “strong consolation.” This hope offers a strong consolation because it rests upon the promise of God backed up by His oath, and it is impossible for God to lie when He makes a promise and when He swears to it.

Hebrews 6:17  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus….

We believers draw strength from knowing that something far better is waiting for us beyond this world of sorrows. Knowing we have a sure hope set before us in heaven alleviates the sorrows we bear down here. In fact, this greatly lightens our load because it is a “strong" consolation. Observe how it works in the following passage:

2 Corinthians 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

As we focus on the hope that is set before us in glory, our present afflictions seem light and momentary in comparison. You see, this hope provides us with a strong consolation which lightens the load of the present affliction. Remember, to console is to alleviate the sorrow, to lighten the load. The stronger the consolation is, the greater is the relief it brings.

How sad it is to see multitudes set all their hopes in this fleeting world. They rely on the things that they can accumulate and experience down here to alleviate their sorrows. Speaking of them our Lord said:

Luke 6:24  But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

There can be no doubt that riches can lighten a lot of loads that we bear. They can get bill-collectors off our back. They can buy us vacations to relaxing resorts. They can purchase narcotics and sedatives that give us some ease. But when all the relief one has is the relief that money can buy, that is a pitiful situation indeed! The relief the wicked rich receive in this world is all the relief they will ever have.

But for those who flee for refuge to the hope that is in Christ, they find in this life a strong consolation that is not confined to this world. Mark these wonderful words:

2 Thessalonians 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

The Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father not only give us strong consolation now to alleviate our sorrows, but they give us “everlasting” consolation. This consolation reaches beyond this world to the next. I like to think of heaven as a place where I will experience unmingled, never-ending relief. The burdens of the present world will be forever removed. Next time you feel your load lighten when you come to Jesus, just imagine that feeling being enlarged to fill eternity. Imagine feeling forever light, energetic, and free! No more will we feel heavy, weighed down, oppressed, and sorrowful. Of course, we cannot fully imagine it. But it sure is consoling to think about and being consoled by that thought makes our present burdens lighter.