II 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.”
When our family and friends are in some great distress, we “Comfort” them by being close to them, showing love to them, and reminding them of our Lord’s great love for us and that He has the Sovereign Power to deliver them. But, our “Lord Jesus Christ” works from the inside of us, where His Spirit, the Comforter Himself resides. When He reveals His Holy Presence within us, we can be calm and peaceful, even while the world is crashing down around us! Only the Lord can “stablish” us “in every good word and work”. To “stablish” us is to make us strong, give us ability, give us wisdom, and to give us that sure knowledge that we do not face life’s tribulations and troubles and heartbreaks alone, for our Lord is with us! Furthermore, when we are broken and shamed by the knowledge of our own sin and sinfulness, our gracious and merciful Lord will “Comfort” our “hearts” by reminding us that He yet loves us and has forgiven us and has already paid our sin-debt. And, He will lift us up out of the mire of sin’s grief and “stablish” us “in every good word and work”; that is, equip and empower us to worship and serve Him, to declare His glory by the manner of our lives and in the things we say to others about Him and give us strength and courage “to stand against the wiles of the devil” and “to withstand in the evil day” and “to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:11-16). Thus, we joyfully declare, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;” (II Corinthians 1:3) and “the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (I Peter 5:10)! And, our constant refrain is that “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;” (II Samuel 22:2)!