Receive And Extend Comfort From God
Text: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
The apostle Paul knew what suffering was like. In fact, later in the letter (chapter 11), he would detail the types of trials he has experienced. Yet, he found comfort through them all from God. Namely, he was encouraged to press through the trials by the hope God provided eternally in Heaven and the temporary nature of life on this earth. Then, as he experienced these trials, he was able to take the comfort he received from God and extend it to other Christians who were experiencing trials.
Life on this earth – especially the life of a true follower of Jesus – is full of various trials. Living in a world corrupted by sin has resulted in sickness, pain, and death that cannot be escaped by anyone. Sin in the world has also resulted in people experiencing trials from others who make foolish and harmful choices. Your own sin even results in facing the consequences of your choices. And, those who are Christians experience various forms of persecution from others. All of this results in pain and the need for comfort to endure it.
Today’s response to hearing God’s word is this: Receive and extend comfort from God. The comfort that God provides through the Scriptures (revealed by the Spirit) will be able to strengthen you through the fiercest of storms in this life. You must allow the trials you face in this life remind you of the fact that everything about this life is temporary and that the hope Christ offers will make the trials of life seem as if they were light burdens (no matter how heavy they feel right now). Finally, once you experience the comfort God provides, you can then help others know and experience the same comfort that will help them through the trials they face. For, blessed is the God of mercies and comfort who comforts us in all our afflictions!
