A cup of tea? Yes, please!

Those of you, who are fans of the Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon series know that Sheldon learned how to respond to people in distress from a young age in a very unique way. The fact that he offered the hot beverage was customary and not always showed his real interest or intention to console the person in distress, but certainly showed some sensitivity on his part when noticing that someone is not feeling well. Offering a hot beverage became for him an act of of reaching out when he did not know what to do or say.

I was feeling down recently. There were things which made me feel distressed and upset as they influenced important parts and people in my life. While I did not have anyone offering me hot beverage to feel better and I did not share my thoughts with anyone, I did a lot of thinking and pondering what does real comforting look like. I found the stories and words of comfort on many pages of the Bible. There are as many ways of God comforting His people as reasons for people feeling down or distressed. One of the most known persons in the Old Testament, Job, had so many reasons not to feel jolly. After loosing everyone and everything, he was on the edge of loosing hope and asked God to be left alone. He really thought that the next thing which will happen to him will be his death. (Job 10:20). However, totally unexpectedly God turned things around and even all Job’s brothers and sisters came to him and showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him (Job 42:11).

This story lead me away from my thoughts and prompted a few questions: How do I comfort people close to my heart? How sensitive am I?

And a few questions for you:

In what things and experiences do you find comfort? In what ways do you usually comfort others?

There is a difference between feeling sympathy and empathy. Quite often we are giving and are given not exactly what we expect and need at the moments of distress. A good advice might be good at some other times, but when we feel like walking through the darkest valley (Ps 23:4) what we want to hear is simple: I see… I understand…, nod your head, holding someone’s hand.

God certainly reassures us on numerous occasions that He does understands everything we are going through in our lives.  In Ps 27:10 he states strongly that even if my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up.

Recently, when I was not feeling so great and jolly, I asked God for comfort and he showed it to me with a sense of humour. That day a friend gave me a present which was… literally a Comforting tea (By the way very nice, highly recommended).

Lucky for me, even my circumstances have not changed, my attitude towards them did (must be the tea) and that motivated me to keep going with a smile on.

My best friend often says: I pray that others will be happy! And that make sense: if others will be happy – this will make the difference in their life and in mine and yours, too.

Have a happy week, everyone 😆 .

Sr Grace

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