God comforts believers expecting that they, in turn, will extend that heaven-sent comfort toward others during their times of need. Believers are admonished to “comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, and be patient toward all men” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Stronger believers are encouraged to bear the infirmities of those who are weak (Romans 15:1). When one believer weeps as a result of the trials and troubles of this life, the body of Christ should weep with that brother or sister (Romans 12:15). Every member of the body of Christ should be available to the strengthening and support of other members of the body, for in doing so, believers fulfil the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
The world places a premium on the concept of living comfortably. For instance, people desire comfortable clothes, comfortable beds, comfortable cars, comfortable furniture, etc. The list is unending. There are even foods designated as “comfort foods.” Yet, with this great emphasis upon comfort, the world seems to experience so little of true comfort. So, what exactly is comfort? Why is speaking of comfort so trendy and yet so hard to achieve? The word comfort is easily defined by breaking it down into two parts: com and fort. The prefix com means “with” and the word fort means “strength.” Simply put, comfort involves a strength that a person can carry with him. Immediately, every Christian should recognize that very little true comfort exists in this world. True comfort stems from the Lord and not that offered outside of Him.
Prayer is an important subject that has unfortunately been tainted by men’s traditions. Some teach that in order to truly pray, you must bow your head and close your eyes. Others have added that you must also kneel in order to pray properly. The problem with both of these practices is that the Bible does not demand either. In fact, in Bible times, prayer was often made by the lifting up of one’s hands (Psalm 141:2). In other Bible passages, we see that believers might both kneel and lift up their hands (1 Kings 8:54). The Bible also teaches that the bowing of the head was an act of worship (Genesis 24:26). What does all of this mean? The most important aspect of prayer is not the position of the body but the condition of the heart.
One might think that prayer has always existed in the exact manner in which it presently exists, but such is not the case. It appears that the first major shift in prayer took place in Genesis 4:26. We know that Adam and Eve freely spoke with the Lord face-to-face in the garden (Genesis 3:8). However, it seems that the fall of man caused men to have to begin “to call upon the name of the LORD.” Even then, prayer was not as it is today. The very fact that prayer has not always existed parallels a time in the future when prayer as we know it will not exist. When man had full access to the Lord, there was no need for prayer. In eternity, the same will be true. For now, the Lord has given us access to Him through prayer (Hebrews 4:16).
