Steven Curtis Chapman was on Larry King Live Thursday night.  As his family talked about the tragic death of their five year old, I wondered how people would respond to their comments.  It seems we have a lot of pat phrases we use when people are hurting, many of which fall on deaf ears.  The Chapmans said the most comfort they received was when people didn’t try to say something clever, but just came alongside them in their grief.

We don’t know why God allows bad things to happen, but His Word assures us that He cares.

Isaiah 49:13 (NIV)  “…the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.”

 Isaiah 51:12 (NIV)  "I, even I, am He who comforts you.”

Isaiah 66:13 (NIV)  “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;”

2 Cor. 1:4 (NIV)  “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

2 Cor. 7:6 (NIV)  “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us”

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)  “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

John 11:35 (NIV)  “Jesus wept.”

Sally