The God of all Comfort

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The Surpassing Comfort of God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

“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 are comforted by God.”

                  Eliphaz captured the struggles we face in life when he stated, “For man is born to trouble, as sparks fly upward.”  All the joys and triumphs of life are soon forgotten in the face of our continual troubles.  Hardly a day goes by without being confronted with sorrow and suffering. 

Paul was not ignorant of suffering.  He was one who had experienced continual suffering in life, to the point that he even despaired of life itself.  In verse 8, he describes the affliction he faced, that they “were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life” (vs. 8).  Paul was not just writing about the comfort of God as a theorist or as a theological expounding on a Biblical truth which had been untouched by the sorrows life.  He was writing as one who had experienced firsthand the struggles of ministry, the rejection of others, and the physical torment of persecution.  Suffering was more than just a theory; it was a constant companion.

                  In light of all his struggles in ministry, we find it difficult to comprehend how he could have been such a stalwart of the gospel.  When others would abandon the ministry (see 2 Timothy 4:9-18), Paul remained steadfast in his commitment to advance the gospel.  However, Paul’s faithfulness was not because he possessed some inward tenacity that others lacked.  Paul endured suffering because he trusted in God and experienced the comfort of God.  Paul describes God as the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.  The word mercy speaks of a deep awareness of and sympathy for another’s suffering.  God is not an indifferent observer in heaven, merely watching the events that happen on earth with indifference. Instead, He is fully engaged and involved in our lives and has a deep awareness of our suffering and sympathy for us.  He is a compassionate God who demonstrates mercy and grace towards us.  This compassion and mercy move him to act so that He comforts us.  The word comfort means to come to one’s side.  In other words, God becomes present in our suffering to give engagement and strength.  He comes to encourage us.  This he does in two critical ways.  First, He encourages by His Word.  In His word, we are assured that our present suffering is only temporary.  He reveals that we have a future in which we will share in His glory so that our future glory far exceeds the present suffering we experience (Romans 8:18-25).

Furthermore, He not only gives us the hope of eternity in the future but also provides His divine presence with us to encourage and sustain us as we go through our present suffering. The idea of comfort is more than mere assistance; it speaks of one who not only acts on behalf of others but also is loving and caring and thus genuinely concerned about our welfare. He loves and cares for us and is fully worried about our plight. 

                  Paul could endure his suffering because he knew God deeply cared for him and was mindful of his situation, and then God acted on his behalf.  This is the same God we serve.  When we encounter suffering and trials, God is deeply concerned and engaged in our suffering because he cares for us.  Just as we experience suffering because of our identification with Christ, we also experience His comfort and grace.  When we encounter trials in life, we have the assurance that the outcome will be good so we can endure the present.  In our suffering, Christ remains present to accomplish His perfect plan through us.  Even though we may feel alone, God is still present.  He is the unseen hand governing the event to ensure that His perfect will is accomplished in us.  Therefore, we find security even in the minds of the trial.  Today, just reflect on His infinite love for you and the assurance it gives you, even in an uncertain world.  Even when going to trials, you are not alone but God walks beside you to ensure that the outcome is what is best. 

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