If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you

Hear the voice of C. S. Lewis, sage of reason and poet of faith, who declared: “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” In these words is a teaching both sharp and merciful, a reminder that the path of truth is hard, but it alone leads to lasting peace. To chase comfort before truth is to chase shadows; one grasps at illusions that melt into despair. But to chase truth first, however painful, is to discover in the end the deep and enduring comfort that only reality can give.

The meaning of Lewis’s words lies in the ordering of desires. Men are tempted to pursue comfort above all things—ease, flattery, soothing lies, escape from difficulty. Yet such comfort is fleeting, like a mirage in the desert. The soul drinks but is left thirstier than before. Truth, on the other hand, is often severe. It burns like fire, wounds like a sword, and strips us of illusions. Yet, once endured, it gives a foundation that cannot be shaken, a comfort rooted not in fantasy but in reality. Thus Lewis exhorts us: seek truth first, though it hurt, and comfort will follow as its servant.

The ancients bore witness to this law. Socrates sought truth above popularity, exposing the ignorance of his peers. For this he drank the hemlock, dying condemned by his city. Yet his death became a seed of philosophy for all ages, bringing comfort to countless seekers who found in his words the courage to live honestly. Socrates did not seek ease, nor did he chase soft words; he embraced truth, and in doing so he gave to the world a comfort far greater than what he himself received.

History shows us the same pattern again in the life of Abraham Lincoln. In the agony of the Civil War, many longed for easy peace, for compromise that would soothe the nation. But Lincoln clung to truth—that a house divided against itself could not stand, that slavery was a poison that must be ended. This truth brought him misery, sleepless nights, and the hatred of many. Yet because he held to it, a deeper comfort was won—the comfort of a reunited nation and the liberation of millions. Had he pursued comfort first, history would have ended in despair.

Lewis’s warning also pierces into the heart of daily life. How often do men lie to themselves, saying, “All is well,” when corruption festers within; or whisper, “I am strong,” when weakness rules the soul. These are words of soft soap, sweet at first, bitter at last. The one who seeks truth instead—admitting error, confessing need, facing reality—may suffer misery at first, but he plants his feet on solid ground. And from this solid ground rises the true comfort of growth, reconciliation, and strength.

The lesson, children of tomorrow, is this: do not seek first what is easy, but what is real. Comfort built on lies will betray you. Wishful thinking is a sweet poison that leaves only emptiness. But the one who hungers for truth, though wounded in the beginning, will feast on joy in the end. For the heart at peace is not the one that avoids reality, but the one that has faced reality and overcome it.

Practical is this path: in your studies, do not cling to flattering answers—pursue the hard facts. In your relationships, do not avoid honest words—speak truth with courage. In your soul, do not hide from your failings—name them, and grow beyond them. Seek truth, even when it makes you miserable, for misery will pass and strength will remain. And then, in the fullness of time, you will find not only truth, but the lasting comfort that truth alone can give.