Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV
What’s more important for believers to do, when faced with the difficulties of life? In 2 Corinthians we see that just when life is difficult, God shows up. He shows up when our relationships are strained. When our competence is questioned, when our health and security are threatened, He shows up. God makes Himself known through powerful comfort.
We discover that one of the supreme greatness and wonders of Christianity is that it does not seek a supernatural escape from the difficulties of life. Instead, it offers a supernatural use for them. Troubles become triumphs as God makes Himself known in our weaknesses.
Imagine Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the opening of his second letter to the church at Corinth, as he exclaimed: “praise be to the God and Father of our Lord…” While you may want to jump to shout your praise, may I invite you to allow the Holy Spirit to give you the revelation of this scripture so that you can also respond in the right way.
Perhaps, God is expecting a different response to precede your shout of praise. Paul offered praise to the “Father of our Lord”. If I may ask you, is Jesus Christ really your Lord? Is He not just ‘a lord’ or ‘the lord’ to you? In verse four, Paul described the comfort the believers are to extend to those in any trouble as “the comfort we ourselves receive from God”. Again, have you received this comfort? The comfort of the forgiveness of sin is the greatest cause of trouble.
Unless God has comforted you and the Lord Jesus Christ becomes your Lord, you do not have the ‘comfort’ to share with others.
God’s Invitation to Comfort
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11: 28
He will give you rest from every trouble, every burden, and heavy load you have been carrying. If you will only come unto Him, He will comfort you indeed. It is after this experience you can then bring others into the same comfort you have received.
Then as God comforts you in all your troubles, do not forget that you are to comfort others in their trouble as well. You have been comforted so that you can comfort others with what we have received. God has called you to join Him in His work. To be a channel through which His compassion flows into the lives of other people.