Five Minute Friday: Comfort

It’s not something I talk about regularly, but I believe in the devil.

I believe in temptation and that there is an enemy that attacks. One of his most effective techniques (especially when I’m depressed) is trying to make me believe that I’m all alone, and that no one cares. It’s patently a lie, and since Jesus said the devil was the father of lies, I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise.

It’s times like those when I need comfort.

Maybe it’s just because I’m a woman and this is how I was raised, but I have no problem comforting others. On the other hand, I’m often reluctant to ask for and receive comfort. I don’t want to be a whiner, don’t want to appear too needy, don’t want to admit I’m not self-sufficient.

That’s crap.

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (2Corinthians 1:3-4, KJV)

Giving and receiving comfort are both part of the equation. If I say that I’m too big to receive comfort, then I’m also saying something about those whom I comfort. Something that’s not nice. It doesn’t work that way.

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What’s Five Minute Friday?

A blog-prompt project dreamt up by LisaJo Baker, which you can read about here. The basic idea is that you spend five minutes of writing, generally unedited (I correct typos, WAY too OCD not to do that), on a prompt that she provides just after midnight via a tweet, then spread the word, and link up. Interested? Join up. Enjoy a delightful assortment by clicking on the picture to the right.

Today’s Five Minute Friday selection is also here!