“The Gospel is always against our being comfortable, in order to be comforted in our dis-ease. I invite you to think about this terrible distinction between being comfortable and being comforted, between our capacity to cope and our willingness to be held and embraced, to be nursed and cared for and suckled by this God who now speaks and holds us midst our dark night of ache, holding our bodies that tremble with the tears of fatigue and despair.” - Walter Brueggemann
I wonder what I wish for more often, to be comforted or to be comfortable?
Walter Brueggemann’s brilliant and prophetic revelation in the quote above calls out the lack of better stories in our world today. He proclaims the truth the Gospel heralds. God, of course, wants to comfort us. But he refuses to make us comfortable.
Can you imagine what life might look like if we embraced both facets of this concept. One side feels like the plush blanket we grew up clinging to from infancy until mature insecurity. And one side feels like a blade, piercing our souls with the decimating power of truth. But which is soft and which is sharp? That is what we must confront.
I want to say that God comforting me is my longing. I know that’s the right answer. I know that’s the truth Brueggemann proclaims. But if God is to comfort me, I must first be found in dis-ease; and that feels so sharp. And so, like my friends, I often convince myself that to be comfortable is enough. To be comfortable becomes my goal, my pursuit, my wish and even prayer. Just enough to help me exhale. Just enough money. Just enough time. Just enough friends.
The problem is “enough” is elusive.
And as long as we keep chasing enough, keep running down the alleys of our souls looking for comfort, we will never be comforted.
God is BETTER.
I know this. But, like Paul, I get so confused… so forgetful… so… distracted.
May we all be dis-eased into the better story of God’s comfort even as we are found incredibly uncomfortable.