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1. Look up. There is thy Father. But ere thou canst be like Him thou wilt need the file of the lapidary, the heat of the crucible, the bruising of the flail.

2. Look down. At the moment of thy conversion all the powers of darkness pledged themselves to obstruct thy way.

3. Look around. Thou art still in the world that crucified thy Lord.

4. Look within. In the constant strife between thy will and God's will, what can there be but affliction? When in affliction, mind three things.

I. Look out FOR COMFORT. It will come —

1. Certainly. Wherever the nettle grows there grows the dock-leaf.

2. Proportionately. God holds a pair of scales. This on the right, called AS, is for thine afflictions; this on the left, called SO, is for thy comforts. And the beam is always level.

3. Divinely. Shall we look to man? No, for Job found the best men of his time to be miserable comforters. Shall we look to angels? No; this needs a gentler touch than theirs. God comforteth those that are cast down.

4. Mediately. Our consolation aboundeth through Christ.

5. Directly through the Holy Ghost, that other Comforter, whom the Saviour gives.

6. Variously; sometimes by the coming of a beloved Titus, a bouquet, a letter, a promise, sometimes by God simply coming near.

II. STORE UP COMFORT.

1. The world is full of comfortless hearts. Our God would comfort them through thee. But thou must be trained.

2. Dost thou wonder why thou dost suffer some special form of sorrow? Wait till ten years are passed. In that time thou wilt find some afflicted as thou art. When thou tellest them how thou hast suffered, and how thou hast been comforted, thou wilt learn why thou hast been afflicted.

III. PASS ON THE COMFORT YOU RECEIVE.

(F. B. Meyer, B. A.)

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KJV: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

WEB: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;