Verse By Verse Devotional On 2 Corinthians By Pastor Jack #5

God’s Purpose for Comfort

1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Why does God comfort us in all our affliction? Well, certainly there are many reasons. But the reason Paul mentions here is in order that we will be able to comfort others.

Notice here that this is not talking about God delivering us out of our afflictions (though often God does that), but God giving us comfort in the midst of our affliction. When God gives us comfort IN THE MIDST of our affliction He does it by giving us a right attitude toward our troubles, a heart of peace in spite of the turmoil. It means that He has strengthened us in our FAITH: He has given us the strength of faith needed to be content in the affliction and trouble.

And strong faith tends to be contagious. When one person is trusting God in the midst of trouble, it helps others to do the same in the midst of their trials. When one person has peace in the midst of his trouble, it helps others to have peace in theirs.

This is one of the main reasons why God allows us to go through trials and then comforts us in the midst of them: God strengthens our faith so that we can strengthen the faith of others.

But until we have experienced the peace of God in the midst of suffering, we cannot really comfort others in their suffering. Once we know by experience that God is bigger than our troubles, once we know that He is in control even when our world seems to be spinning out of control, then we can assure others in a way that comforts them and strengthens their faith.

Those who have been comforted by God have also been equipped to comfort. What a blessing it is to be equipped to help God’s people by being given the gift of suffering along with the comfort of God! Let us not resist this gracious work of God! Let us willingly endure suffering for the sake of Christ’s lambs as Jesus Himself did, who "for the joy set before Him endured the cross" (Heb.12:2 - the joy set before Him was the salvation of His people). Paul says to the Corinthians in v.6: "if we are comforted, it is for your comfort."

(This also means that we need to share what God has done in our lives so that others can receive the edification from it.)

O God, You give us every good thing not only to enjoy but to share. You share them with us so we will share them with others. Indeed, "we are blessed to be a blessing." Thank You for the precious comfort You have given me in my trials. Help me to comfort others in their trials with the comfort that I receive from You. And help me not to fuss and fret when trials come. Help me to remember that You are at work in me making me a worker for You.