Page 70 - #LoveWarrior

Chapter Nine
Comforting Others in the Way We Have been Comforted

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give
them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).

Your Romantic Journey
No one knows your heart like you and Christ. Trust that. Remain close to the Lord, and He will remain close to you.
Let Him lead you with when to move — in any direction. Let Him walk the person he has for you, to you. Let Him
work on His masterpiece, this is you. If you’re someone who is currently in a relationship, He may be guiding you to
apply a specific lesson. If you’re someone who is ready for a relationship, yet still not in one, He may be guiding
you to soak in His love and enjoy your singleness right now. Maybe He is preparing you to meet someone any
moment. Or if you’re someone who is not ready for a relationship, that is okay too. He may be guiding you to His
heart, where He wishes to heal a wound that would otherwise paralyze you if you were to continue pursuing a
romantic relationship. Some would say each scenario requires a different skillset, but this would only be true if our
relationship with Jesus changed when our romantic status did. And, as we have gone over, the center of our life
should always be elevating our understanding of Him and His heart. Here, and only here will we see our Romantic
Intelligence unlocked.

Your lesson plan for Romantic Intelligence may look different than mine or the next person's. The Lord may have a
different "perfect" plan unique and tailored to you. Only you and He can determine that. Pull your mentors in for
guidance, support, and accountability along the way, at each relationship status change. Listen to your gut and listen
to the soft whisper of the Holy Spirit. Apply the principles we have discussed, and you will notice an increase in
understanding, an increase in happiness, a decrease in loneliness, and a decrease in depression.

Comforting Others Anywhere and Everywhere
Comforting others will reflect the way you have been comforted. Again, this will be tailored to your journey with
Jesus. Remember the message in 2 Corinthians 1:4: “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort
others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (NLT).

The encouragement and love you give to someone by no means needs to be something big. Likewise, it does not
have to be anything small. It can be whatever you are inspired to do. I’ll give you an example. The other morning, I
went hiking, and I found myself at the hardest part of the hike when someone came up next to me and said, “I'll race
you!” Come to find out he had been a Chief in the United States Marine Corps. We hit it off, and the rest of the hike
was easy with enjoyable conversation. We were able to encourage one another even in that short time as strangers.
He needed to hear there are still strong women out there, and I needed to hear men still appreciate that. It was such a
great, spontaneous experience.

His follow-up to our interaction made my day:

Hello, my new friend! What a joy it is to meet someone like you who isn't standoffish to
someone you've never met. Thank you for that remarkable personality trait. You are so impressive in so
many ways, Louisa. Your commitment, passion, and courage remind me of my time in the Corps.

Here are a few additional examples. Your stories may look vastly different, or exactly the same. Either way, we have
an incredible honor to continuously display the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Embrace that. Allow it to fill you
with hope and joy.

Scenario One
An Encouraging Word to a Struggling Friend
Speaking a kind word over someone is living out our design.
“You are not complicated. The enemy wants you to believe that, to base your life decisions around that, but
remember, he is the father of all lies and confusion. You know this! Your heart desires to bear a great glory, the

70