Two keys that are given here: 1) I've got to receive comfort from the scriptures, and get my thinking right; 2) I have to exercise patience.
I need to engage with the word and person of God, and let my emotions and thinking be shifted - so now I'm thinking right, and starting to act right. Then I need to continue to do what God wants me to do - I know God is giving me a great outcome with this. I know this is going to work for good for me.
There are some things we have to do. 1) Receive comfort of the scriptures; and 2) I've got to be patient.
We're in an instant age - no one wants to be patient. People get impatient just trying to start your computer up. I just want to yell at it - it's so slow starting up, I can't stand it. No one likes to be patient. Everyone just wants it all, and wants it now; but actually patience is part of receiving the promises of God.
Through Patience, and Faith, we receive the promises. If I want to see my situation move and turn around, I have to: first of all - engage the scriptures; secondly, I need to make a decision - I will do what God wants me to do in the midst of this difficulty, and then it will pass. I'll have a great attitude, because I'm confident it'll pass, because I've got connected to God in it.
So what practically, would you do? Being comforted by the scriptures is not about just feeling good; it's actually about God putting something into you, to get you thinking and believing right. It actually requires you hold on to what God says - in spite of what you feel. That's the decision.
God wants you to learn to deepen your belief and trust in the time of difficulty; and He uses the word to enable you to do that. Get the idea?
Three practical ways that God does bring comfort from the scriptures. I kind of ask the question: I'm in pain right now, so how do I use the Bible to feel better? I feel in pain right now, so what do I do? Where do I even start? Here's my Bible - now where do I start? How do I use the Bible to obtain the comfort of God? That's the question to ask.
We've learnt that: everyone has pain; what people do when they're in pain; that God is willing to comfort you in scriptures, inspired by the Holy Ghost; and the way He does it. There's a part I have to play in it. How do I get the comfort from the scriptures in the first place?
1) Use scriptures and verses you already know. If you read the Bible regularly, you'll have verses, and they kind of stand out to you. They become great verses, so get those verses and read them.
Isaiah 40:27-31: “Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”.
How many know that scripture? Why don't you get it in your mouth, and start to speak it out aloud. Why speak it out aloud? Because your emotions are going so strongly, you'll find that if you've got it in your mouth, and start to speak it, and start to in your heart embrace what you are saying:
“I thank You. I wait upon You Lord, I mount up with wings like eagles, I thank You, I run and not weary, I walk and will not faint. You are with me! I believe Your word! Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord God delivers him out of them all. Lord, I thank You in the midst of my affliction, Lord You deliver me out of it!”
Now you've got to actually make a decision, to get hold of the word of God, and do something.
Isaiah 43:2 – “Though you walk through the fire, it shall not consume you. Though you walk through the water, it shall not overwhelm you, because I will hold your hand. I am with you. Be strong!”