Let Us Solace Ourselves Prov. 7:18 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

When you read Prov 7:6-18, you read about a young man who was void of understanding.  In verse 8, “he went the way to her house.”  He was looking for her.  In Prov 7:13 she caught him. In Prov 7:18 she said, “let us solace ourselves with loves.”  This is the only place in the Bible where the word solace shows up.  That’s the answer to rash behavior.  You’re an emotional person. That’s not a criticism, just a fact.  That’s the way we are made.

When you feel pain, loneliness, sadness, anger or whatever, you “solace” yourself with what you “love.” To “solace” means to ease grief, loneliness, discomfort, etc.  You panic when you feel separation, grief, pain, stress, or discomfort and go right back to the sins you love to solace these feelings.  Solace is a great word that is often translated differently in modern Bibles.

What you must learn is, first, how to take your sins “off the table” as options to consider when you need solace. That’s part of repentance.  1 Thes 1:9 says that we turn to God from idols.  Those sins we love are idols to us.

Second, you must realize that you can endure the pain of harsh emotions without resorting to sin if you won’t panic (Heb 12:2-4).

Third, you must fully trust the Lord for solace (1 Pet 5:7) and find comfort (Jn 14:18), contentment (1 Tim 6:6) and peace (Phil 4:6-7) in him (Jn 14:27, 16:33) and in his provisions (Phil 4:19).

Fourth, you must abound in your love for God (Matt 22:37-38). The more you love him, the less you will love your sins. This grows with time [Phil 1:9-11]. The more you love God, the more you will turn to him, and not to your sins, for solace.