With Friends Like These

• Think of the last time you tried to comfort someone who was hurting. What did you do right? What did you do wrong?

• What will you do differently next time?

When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job 2:12-13

One way God comforts hurting people is to put caring friends in their lives. And if we’re following God, one day we’ll be one of those caring friends. The apostle Paul says, “Praise be to … the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God uses our experiences to reach out to others with compassion and comfort. Here are some tips to keep in mind when talking with someone who is hurting:

Ask God to guide you before you speak. He will give you the right words to say.

Give your hurting friend a chance to share their feelings. Listen closely and ask questions. Don’t try to correct anything the person says.

Don’t use clichés or try to give simple answers. Instead, talk about how much you care about your friend.

Pray with your friend.

Ask if you can do simple things, like chores or errands, to make your friend’s life a little easier.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for putting loved ones in our lives who care about us and comfort us. Teach us to be people who can offer care and comfort to other hurting people. Amen.