God of All Comfort
April 14, 2020
By Jason Waldrep, Associate Director of Worship
The apostle Paul knew suffering. In his travels to share the Gospel and upon arrival in a new city, his first two stops were usually the local synagogue and then the local prison. Paul was persecuted harshly and consistently, yet he writes these words as a thanksgiving to God in a letter to the church in Corinth: “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 may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4 ESV)
Paul is teaching something profound to his readers here, even as he is giving thanks to God. He is explaining that through his own persecution, the comfort that he received was not just for himself. For “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction” speaks to the very nature of God. This is who God is. Paul has experienced this first hand, and he believes that our good Father in heaven is faithful to comfort in all our suffering.
However, we are not only to receive comfort but to give it away, “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” As followers of Christ, the comfort we receive we should also be quick to give away to anyone else who is suffering. One human being cannot affect divine deliverance from affliction for another, but it is possible to share with another sufferer the encouragement received in the midst of our own afflictions.
The testimony of God’s grace in our lives is a forceful reminder to others of God’s ability and willingness to provide the grace and strength they need. Over this past weekend, as we grieved our Savior’s death and then celebrated His victory over it, I heard multiple stories about how our God, the Comforter, met with people. From gentle whispers of divine encouragement and direction to the most miraculous emotional and physical healings, God is comforting His children.
It is no wonder that one of the names of the Holy Spirit is paraklete, which is Greek for comforter. As the Holy Spirit meets with us in our daily lives during this trying season, we must be willing and ready to share our Holy moments of comfort and connection to those around us. Whether by phone call, text, or even a social media post, others need to hear how the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives.
There is no encounter with our living God that is too small to share.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know there are many who are longing to meet with you, to receive a divine touch from your hand. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, that all those who desire your comfort will receive the blessing of your presence, and that you would heal and restore minds, bodies, souls, and our broken situations by the power of your Holy Spirit. And give us a boldness and passion to share with others the ways in which you have comforted us. Amen.
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