CONSOLATION WHEN AFFLICTED                             2 Corinthians 1:3-11

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. (vv 3-4)

God is more interested in our character than our comfort. That is why sometimes a child of God may suffers and this may be the will of God (with eternity in view) However, no matter what we suffer in this life because of our faith, God wants us to remain faithful to Him and keep on the good works. Today’s text gives another insight into God’s unfailing love for us even when things are not working out as expected. First, God is a compassionate Father. He treats us with compassion much more than earthly parents would do to their children. Second, He is the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles. The strength and joy He gives, enables us to console others who are also being afflicted.

God’s comfort and consolation reveals that hardship is inevitable. If not, many would turn to God only to be relieved of pain and not out of genuine love for Him. We must understand that God’s consolation and comfort can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our afflictions. Therefore, our afflictions serve the dual purposes of helping us grow in the faith and drawing people closer to Christ. Suffering is the necessary pain that accompanies spiritual growth.

PRAYER LINE: O Lord, comfort us when we are afflicted and help us to comfort others with the comfort we have received.

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God’s comfort in our struggles trains us to comfort others in their affliction.