After a few years of grinding, things start to click. The job that once felt out of reach is now routine. The friend group that seemed impossible to find feels like family. Maybe there’s even a dream vacation booked or a new apartment that’s finally “yours.” The grind paid off, and life is good. But when the striving stops, and the comfort sets in, it’s easy to take your eyes off of God.
Nine in the morning rolls around, and there’s no pressing need to rise and shine. Instead, the alarm gets snoozed, the covers go over the head, and thoughts shift to brainstorming how to spend the day. This isn’t the usual weekday routine. Just a month ago, by this time of day, there would have already been a three-mile run, two meals prepped, a fitness class coached, and maybe a third cup of coffee in hand on the way to morning meetings.
Life was nonstop—grinding through work, rushing to the next meeting, and knocking tasks off the to-do list.
At first, slowing down felt exciting. It was like having an extra-long weekend to enjoy at home. However, the excitement quickly wore off as time revealed the deeper discomfort of being forced to confront the reliance on temporary comforts, circumstantial peace, and false senses of security.
It’s far from comfortable to have routines disrupted. It’s lonely to feel isolated, stressful to face financial uncertainty, and frustrating to have plans derailed. However, this discomfort can also be a gift—an invitation to reveal and refine false dependencies.
Looking around, it’s clear that anxiety, stress, and fear can take hold during these moments. But for Christians, the call is to respond differently. Anxiety, stress, and fear aren’t meant to define the response. Instead, the response should be rooted in God’s peace and comfort.
Christians often talk about peace and comfort, but it’s important to understand their biblical definitions. Peace and comfort in a worldly sense are often tied to feelings or circumstances—tranquility, ease, or the absence of conflict. But biblical peace and comfort transcend circumstances. They are rooted in the unchanging presence of God.
The Bible describes comfort as a person—the Holy Spirit, God’s presence among believers. John 14:16-18 reminds believers of this promise: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Comfort, in the biblical sense, isn’t about avoiding pain or hardship. It’s about knowing God’s presence is constant, unchanging, and available in every moment.
Similarly, biblical peace isn’t about the absence of struggle. It’s about the presence of a person—Jesus. Scripture is clear that life will have hardships. 1 Peter 4:12-13 says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” And John 16:33 echoes this: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
True peace and comfort aren’t tied to circumstances or environments. They’re found in the unchanging presence of God—the One who has overcome the world, defeated the enemy, and promised to never leave or forsake His people.
In seasons of discomfort or challenge, it’s easier to lean into God’s presence. But when life feels good, the temptation is to reduce His goodness to the things that add to present prosperity. And yet, God’s goodness isn’t always about ease or abundance. Sometimes, it’s revealed in the unexpected—a financial hardship, a difficult conversation, a declined promotion, or a failed relationship. These moments, though painful, can lead to some of life’s most sanctifying transformations.
God’s ultimate goal isn’t to make life comfortable. His goal is to make His followers more like Him, to sanctify them through His word, and to draw them into an everlasting, unbroken fellowship. It’s a reminder that comfort and peace aren’t about what’s happening around people but about who is present within them. When life slows down, when success seems to dull dependence on God, it’s an opportunity to refocus and remember: true peace and comfort come from Him alone.
