Comfort in the Depths
Comfort is a gift from God that comes to those who have gone through difficult times and have experienced His presence.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about finding comfort and strength in God during times of sorrow and pain, emphasizing the importance of going through valleys of trouble to experience God's comforting presence and to learn valuable lessons in grace. He encourages embracing both sorrow and joy in life, trusting that God's purpose is wise and that afflictions are necessary for growth and blessings in disguise. Cowman reminds believers that God's love and comfort are ever present, even in the darkest valleys, and that following God's lead will ultimately bring songs of joy in the midst of trials.
Text
"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee. . .who passing through the valley of weeping, make it a well" (Ps. 84:5, 6).
Comfort does not come to the light-hearted and merry. We must go down into "depths" if we would experience this most precious of God's gifts--comfort, and thus be prepared to be co-workers together with Him.
When night--needful night--gathers over the garden of our souls, when the leaves close up, and the flowers no longer hold any sunlight within their folded petals, there shall never be wanting, even in the thickest darkness, drops of heavenly dew--dew which falls only when the sun has gone.
"I have been through the valley of weeping, The valley of sorrow and pain;
But the 'God of all comfort' was with me, At hand to uphold and sustain.
"As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine, Our souls need both sorrow and joy;
So He places us oft in the furnace, The dross from the gold to destroy.
"When he leads thro' some valley of trouble His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us, Are part of His lessons in grace.
"Oft we shrink from the purging and pruning, Forgetting the Husbandman knows
That the deeper the cutting and paring, The richer the cluster that grows.
"Well He knows that affliction is needed; He has a wise purpose in view,
And in the dark valley He whispers, 'Hereafter Thou'lt know what I do.'
"As we travel thro' life's shadow'd valley, Fresh springs of His love ever rise;
And we learn that our sorrows and losses, Are blessings just sent in disguise.
"So we'll follow wherever He leadeth, Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we've proved that our God can give comfort; Our God can give songs in the night."
Sermon Outline
- The Nature of Comfort
- The Role of Sorrow in Our Lives
- God's Presence in Times of Trouble
- The Result of Following God
- Fresh springs of His love rise in our hearts
- We learn to see our sorrows as blessings
Key Quotes
“When night--needful night--gathers over the garden of our souls, when the leaves close up, and the flowers no longer hold any sunlight within their folded petals, there shall never be wanting, even in the thickest darkness, drops of heavenly dew--dew which falls only when the sun has gone.” — Charles E. Cowman
“As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine, Our souls need both sorrow and joy;” — Charles E. Cowman
“For the trials and sorrows He sends us, Are part of His lessons in grace.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We must be willing to go through difficult times in order to experience God's comfort and growth in our lives.
- God uses trials to refine us and help us grow in our faith.
- We can trust that God is with us in the darkest moments and whispers words of comfort and reassurance.