Day 17 Prayers for Comfort

Ask God to comfort them in times of loneliness, pain, or despair.

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Today we pray for comfort for our addicted loved ones. Isn’t everyone telling me not to provide them with comfort, to practice tough love, to let them suffer the consequences of their actions? Yes, yes they are. We can’t provide them with much comfort especially in the ways that they would like us to because it enables their addiction but here’s the thing - God can! The idea of tough love and withdrawing our enabling presence in their lives is so that they are encouraged to find it elsewhere, hopefully, in Jesus. If we could comfort and save them, they wouldn’t need Jesus, they would need us. The worse thing we can do for anyone, but especially for our addicted loved ones, is to play the role of savior in their lives. We are a cheap imitation of Jesus Christ and faith in us does not lead to eternal salvation. How sad would it be if at the end of their lives, they stood before Jesus and He says to them that He has never known them. Our faith won’t save them, they have to build a faith of their own.

Of course, we want to comfort them in the misery of addiction and the predicaments it leads them into but the best way to do that is to point them back to Jesus, to pray for them and to encourage them to seek Him for their healing. We all need to learn to turn to Jesus with our pain and struggles above maladaptive behaviors we have picked up along the way. It is the most powerful tool we have to make it through this life on earth with all of the gifts that God promises us - His peace, His strength, His blessing, His favor, His protections, etc.

We don’t want our loved ones to suffer any more than they have to but when they do suffer (and it is inevitable that we all will) we want them to lean on Jesus to get through it. The best gift we can give them is to be encouraging, point them to Jesus, and then get out of His way so that He can provide the comfort they need and build the relationship with them that they need to have. I know it’s counter-intuitive but it works. We can not do the work for them no matter how much we want to or that they want us to. Our relationship with Jesus is something that we all have to work out on our own, individually - one on one with Jesus Christ.

May God bless you on this journey!

Precious Heavenly Father,

We lift up our loved ones who are struggling with addiction and ask that You would be their comfort in times of loneliness, pain, and despair. Lord, when they feel overwhelmed by the weight of their struggles, remind them that You are near and that Your love surrounds them, even in the darkest moments.

Father, we pray that You would bring them peace and rest when their hearts are heavy. Let them know they are never alone, even when they feel isolated or forgotten. May they find comfort in Your presence and strength in Your promises.

We ask that You fill their hearts with hope, healing, and the assurance that You see their pain and are with them every step of the way. Surround them with Your love and bring people into their lives who can walk alongside them, offering encouragement and support.

In moments of despair, remind them that You are their refuge, their shelter, and their ever-present help. We trust in Your power to bring comfort and healing.

In Jesus’ mighty name,

Amen.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

Matthew 11:28-29

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Isaiah 66:13

"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

Revelation 21:4

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Psalm 147:3

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."