Encouraging one another

The quote from Thomas Jefferson in my sidebar talks about the need for us to share each other's burdens, and in doing this lightening the load each of us must carry.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

From the Jeffersonian bible and from many things Jefferson wrote it is apparent that he was not a believer in the blood of Jesus Christ. That means he did not have the benefit of the Holy Spirit to guide him into truth. And yet he understood and practiced a great many things that we Christians seem to miss the mark on by a long shot.

We are called to bear one another's burdens, to bring comfort to those who are hurting. We are even admonished that the trials and burdens we suffer in this life are intended to help us comfort others who go through those same trials later as is seen in the callout to the right.

As I read the bible this morning, I came across this passage that seems to directly address this concept.

Isaiah 35:3-7

Strengthen the weak hands,
  and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
  “Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
  will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
  He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
  and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
  and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
  and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
  and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
  the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

May God give me the grace to recognize when others need to be comforted and may I do what needs to be done.