The Comforter

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:26-27). The most common definition for comfort that we understand today is a state of physical ease or a freedom from pain or constraint. This sense of the word gives us the adjective forms comfortable or even comfy. But there is an older sense of the word. If you look at the original Latin roots, The original meaning of the word comfort was to strengthen, give support, or console. When we consider this older meaning of the word, it gives us a better sense of the role and mission of the Holy Ghost as the comforter. We can have the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, with us and not necessarily be in a state of physical ease or free from pain or constraint. Sometimes the Comforter is a big fluffy blanket, and sometimes it is a two-edged sword that we rely on in the heat of battle. We can have the constant companionship of the Comforter without always feeling comfortable, because the Holy Ghost isn’t only available to us when life is easy, but is especially important to have by outside when life is at its hardest. The Comforter can strengthen us, when we are feeling overwhelmed. He can give us support when we feel like we have none. He can console us when we have suffered terrible losses. This kind of peace is not as the world giveth. The peace that the Comforter gives to us is the kind that allows us to go through troubling circumstances and yet can help our hearts to not be troubled, and to go through frightening experiences, and yet can help our hearts to not be afraid. I know that we can be going through an uncomfortable time and still have the Comforter with us.