God Comforts Us

Background Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1-2
Lesson Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:2-11

Introduction

We all pass through trials and times when the shadow of death darkens our path. However, the Bible is laden with God’s promises of comfort. Many times his comfort is channeled to us through others. At other times, it comes in unexpected ways through an impression in our hearts, during reading and meditating on the Bible, or while in prayer. In whatever way it comes, it always has a calming effect on us that cannot be experienced in any other way. As children get comfort and assurance from their parents, Christians receive comfort from the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Key Verse

For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody (Isa. 51:3).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Apostle Paul was no stranger to suffering and affliction, and his second letter to the Corinthians is poignant. In chapter 4, he explains that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (v. 17). This is a most comforting promise to a suffering Christian. In chapter 11, he enumerates the many types of afflictions he suffered. In chapter 12, he recounts asking God to remove a particular affliction, undisclosed other than that it was a thorn in the flesh. God’s response was not to remove the affliction but to tell Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). What a comfort that, in our weakness, God’s strength is made perfect!

Paul mentions the trouble that befell him and his companions in Asia. He could be referring to the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19-20) in which a crowd of thousands was stirred up enough by the preaching of the gospel that the missionaries’ lives were endangered. They were not passively observing this tumult from a nearby safe balcony; rather, his traveling companions were dragged into the theater by the angry masses. The shrieking, anger, and violence went on for two hours until the town clerk was able to calm the mob.

Paul says in the lesson scripture that they trusted in God, who has control over life and death; God was their comfort. They were also comforted in knowing that the Corinthian Christians were praying for them. The Corinthians could not know what was happening hundreds of miles away, but their prayers availed. Our prayers and appeals to God for our brothers and sisters also avail for their comfort. No sincere prayer to God goes unheard.

Practical Truths for Today

Life is not always easy, and mankind has the capacity to feel pain and to remember it. Many people throughout the ages of time have lived in servitude and poverty. Perhaps Christians have endured an even greater degree of afflictions than others because of persecution for their faith. Despite the troubles they experienced, many saints gone before have left testimonies of the comfort God gives to those who put their trust in Him.

The Bible speaks in Luke 21:26 of men’s hearts failing them for fear in the last days, a biblical term for the entire gospel age. Overwhelming fear is widespread in our day in the hearts and souls of mankind. Opportunities are limitless for spreading comfort to the suffering, especially those afflicted with mental and emotional distress.

It is reassuring that before He ascended to heaven, Jesus promised we would be given a Comforter. We more often call Him the Holy Spirit, but by giving Him the name of Comforter, Jesus was referring to one of the main roles He fills in the lives of Christians. Furthermore, He is an enduring Presence (John 14:16). Earthly comforters may abandon us, but the Holy Spirit as Comforter will not.

God may choose to comfort us in different ways. Sometimes we need to get away from the noise of life and experience quiet time. Jesus told his disciples to take some time out too. This may not always be possible, but God is not limited by our circumstances; He will still find a way to sustain us and speak to us.

Sometimes we need reassuring words from those around us. Likewise, we need to always be cognizant of the mental and emotional needs of those with whom we interact. David the psalmist said, “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). We, too, can be useful in God’s hand by reaching out to those around us as they go through difficulties. Many times just being there and letting them know we care about them is a comfort. We need to be encouraged at times to get up and keep going. God’s plan is for us to help each other—being willing to either receive a hand up or give one.

When filling the role of being a comforter, remember the importance of listening. Beginning with a nonjudgmental and unbiased mindset can be helpful in relating to another’s need. Resist the inclination to interrupt with examples from your own experience. The temptation to quickly offer solutions could be self-motivated. While there may be a time and place for giving advice, be swift to hear and slow to speak (James 1:19) when providing a listening ear.

Giving words of encouragement can be a very effective way of ministering courage to someone. Breathing a silent prayer for a brother or sister in distress is good, but would God have us follow up with words of encouragement directly to them? It is usually not the exact words we speak that are as important as the feeling of support that we convey. Knowing you are not alone is comforting and can make a crucial difference.

We need to learn to open our hearts to receive God’s comfort. We can bring our burdens to God in prayer, but after we have given our cares to Him, we need to leave them with Him. Shouldering and carrying them away with us is not availing ourselves of the comfort He is offering. We also need to learn to be open about our struggles with our brothers and sisters so they can share comfort with us. Pride can hinder this and cause us to lose the blessing that God intended to come through our fellow brother or sister.

There are likely many everyday examples of the Comforter’s work among us today. A sister who lives alone, spending much of the day in her chair unable to move or do anything for herself, says that Jesus sits in the opposite chair, and she visits with Him. What a testimony of God’s comfort! A brother is in the midst of trying to endure a spiritual storm. One morning he has a special impression from God that, even though the experience is very difficult, the only way to survive the storm with his faith intact is to keep his focus on God. The still, small voice of this direction gives him light enough to see, and he thanks God for his wonderful, comforting care! A sister has a trying day at work, dealing with people and their problems all day. Many things have gone wrong, and arriving home late at night, she discovers yet one more thing that has gone wrong. It is nearly too much to bear after such a day, but God works a little miracle, and her faith is restored. God knows just how to comfort in the moment we most need it!

Questions

1. What are ways we can comfort those suffering from mental or emotional distress?
2. Can you relate an example of your own of witnessing the Comforter’s work?
3. How do we hinder the work of the Comforter?

Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).