Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3–7
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Today's Meditation:
Instead of starting this letter to the church in Corinth with a thanksgiving, Paul begins with a
blessing highlighting the attributes of God. All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.
A number of years ago, I experienced a gut-wrenching period of confusion, grief, and anger.
Wrapped up in a blanket while slumped on our sofa, with tears of lament flowing down my cheeks, I could not form a sentence in my thoughts when praying. I had come to the point where I couldn’t rely on myself any longer. All of a sudden, the CPR classical music station was playing this well-loved hymn sung by a large choir: Great is Thy Faithfulness. I gasped! I desperately needed this reminder of God’s great faithfulness and mercy, my hope for tomorrow, and his unchanging compassion in my life right at that exact moment. The words of His continual presence in this time of trial wrapped me in His blanket of comfort, and my tears of sorrow turned to streams of joyful gratitude.
When have your past difficulties prepared you to really empathize with someone else’s pain? When have you shared your story of God’s faithfulness during your struggles with a person who is searching for God? Have you felt a deeper heart connection with fellow believers when sharing how our Father in Heaven has walked faithfully beside you in times of overwhelming grief and trials?
God comforts us so that we can reach out to comfort others experiencing similar struggles. Is this why God sends us into difficulties at times? Not only to deepen our own faith walk but also because someone else needs this assurance?
Prayer:
God of Comfort and Faithfulness,
As we daily walk our lives, please show us who needs your heavenly comfort and mercy. Give
us the openness and courage to be vulnerable in our pain while we listen to another person’s struggles. May we humbly describe how you were faithful and comforted us in our desperate times. We desire for you to be honored in our testimony so the other person can focus on your saving grace.
Amen
Joyce Baker