GOD COMFORTS US IN ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT OTHERS.

“Blessed be God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”—2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Through his many afflictions, the Apostle Paul had learned the important truth: God can comfort everyone in everything.  God is rich in mercy and will faithfully comfort us “in all of our tribulations.”  Paul, who wrote more of the New Testament than any other writer was the only one who used the expression, “the God of all comfort.”  Thomas Moore, an Irish song writer and poet, in 1816, wrote in his song Come Ye Disconsolate, “Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.”    The Apostle Paul went on to say, in the same passage as our scripture reading, that  we are enable to comfort others because of the difficulties that we may have experienced (vs. 6-7).   Because we have been comforted—alleviated of grief—by God we are able to give that same type of comfort to others. 

You may have heard the expression, “Until you have walked a mile in someone else’s shoes do not judge them.”  What this means is you may feel sympathy for someone—feel sorry for them, but you really do not understand what they are going through.  However, empathy means that you can identify with and understand someone else’s feeling or difficulties—you can walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Because of what Christ has done for you, you have the ability to alleviate the grief of someone else.  Even if you do not think that you know the right words to express to someone who is going through difficulties, remember that the Holy Spirit lives inside of you.  He will guide you as you prayerfully rely upon Him.  What comfort that you have received, give lovingly to someone else.  There is nothing in God’s economy that will not increase when it is shared or given away.  Many times you will find that your own sorrow will melt as you minister to someone else in her or his need.  Our hearts are made sensitive to others by the trials and difficulties that we have gone through ourselves. 

Prayer—God of all comfort, comfort me still with Your healing balm, and help me to learn to be gentle with my touch as Your are with Yours, in Jesus Name. Amen.