I suppose the January time frame is a strange time to be thinking of African Violets. I always remember a magnificent pot of velvety, violet blooms during the weeks after the New Year of 2000 that provided comfort through a difficult time.
A coworker had an African violet plant in her office. It had not really bloomed a lot, but it had grown into a very healthy plant. It had grown to the point where it needed to be repotted. So when she repotted it, she split it with me. She took half and I took half. Between the two of us we just about killed them once by forgetting them in the front window in the sun. But we brought them back to life. (And we wondered why they would not bloom! We seemed to always be busy bringing them back to life.) These little African violets moved office locations with us a number of times. They never did really bloom very much. There would be a sporadic little violet from time to time, but that was about it.
The year of 1999 was a challenging year. My dad was battling lung cancer in the last stages. I was traveling back and forth between Tennessee and Washington DC that year. We made it through to the end of the year and dad passed away on the 29th of December.
The craziest thing happened. In the first week of January, that African violet started blooming. It bloomed, and it bloomed, and it bloomed. It bloomed all the way through the middle of February that year. It was stunningly beautiful. The blooms were full of velvety, violet petals. It seemed like that little plant was working overtime to give me comfort. It was encouraging to see it blooming so beautifully, like a kiss from God.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul began his letter to the believers in Corinth by talking about the comfort of God. He gave praise to God, who he proclaimed as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He also made Him known as the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
Paul told them that God was the One that would comfort them in all tribulations. He assured them that the comfort they receive has dual purposes. It is comfort from God to them and it is also given so that they will be able to comfort others that may be facing the same situation.
The challenge in this passage could be passing along the comfort that we have been comforted with. A lot of times the reasons we need comfort in the first place can bring back emotions that are difficult to re-experience and share with someone else
Applying this to our lives might mean opening ourselves up emotionally in ways that might feel uncomfortable at first. But giving another person comfort is taking something God has given us and sharing it with them. As we are encouraging others, we are strengthened and encouraged in return.
My faith is strengthened when I am comforted by God. He comforts in many different ways, sometimes through nature, music, or art, other times through someone that has been through a similar situation and even sometimes through the sight of a beautiful flower.
Lord, Your comfort and Your mercy know no limits. Thank You that I can always count on You to send me what I need.
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“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)
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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.
What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe? Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him? You can know Him. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity. You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.
Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ! PeaceWithGod.net
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Blog Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay
Restricted Vision, Unburdened Sight 