#4 Comfort is a want, not a need

"Give us this day our daily bread" is the fourth petition of the LORD's prayer.

Our savoiur taught us to pray this and it is expanded upon in the catechism to "provide us with all our bodily needs so that we may acknowledge that YOU are the only fountain of all good, and that our care and labour and also YOUR gifts cannot do us any good without your blessing."

Lord's Day 50, Q&A 125.

How is this connected to "comfort is a want, not a need"?

We all want to be comfortable - in our bodies, with our bodies, and even with the stuff that is going on around our bodies. We would like to be pain-free, anxiety-free, happy and feel socially accepted in every situation. This is not the reality of our lives. We can feel in-ept, wrought with worry and alone in a crowd.

In today's age of consumerism, entitlement and esteem building some might have a problem reading the fourth spotting phrase or even understanding it. "What do you mean that comfort is not a need!!" We all believe that comfort is our right and it is definitely a goal most of our day.

What if you lived in discomfort? You do not "need" to have anxiety or pain - but it's there, the question arises "Can you live with it?" The desire is to be comfortable but the reality is you are not. How can you reconcile this? The desire is to be comfortable but the reality is you have to go out and "be uncomfortable" to get things done. You have to be with people you don't like and in a crowd that alarms you.

There are things you can do to help yourself to be more comfortable but when you have done all you can it's good to remember that comfort is a want, not a need.

Not what we would like in this broken world but the end of the matter is that it is the truth.

PRAYER: LORD every day we thank you for providing us for our bodily needs as we have asked of thee.