9th September 2023

Comfort in our suffering

When a child is hurt, the mother or father rush to comfort the little one. Hugs, kisses and soothing words don’t make the pain go away, but they go a long way toward easing the stress and shock of the injury. We’ve all experienced being comforted and we’ve all given comfort – it’s often automatic when we see someone hurting. 

The ability to give comfort to others is possibly another reason for suffering, or maybe it is simply a by-product. When we suffer, we learn compassion for those who are experiencing the same pain. How many books have been written by those who have been through a trial in the hope of helping others? 

Even if we don’t receive much comfort from people, we know where to go for comfort with a capital C. In 2 Corinthians 1:3 (NLT), Paul says, ‘All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.’

Other versions like the NIV tell us he is the God of all comfort. He can be both the God of all comfort and the source because he has been in our shoes – he has experienced our pain, hurt, sorrow, brokenness, misery and helplessness. He continues to suffer with us, having great compassion for us in our trials. He embraces us in our pain and cries with us. 

When we share each other’s sufferings we connect on a deeper level, both with Jesus and with others. We share their pain, they share ours and Jesus is right in the middle of it all. We don’t want to suffer and we certainly don’t like it, but we can get through it with Jesus’s help and get to the place where we see and appreciate the good that can come out of it. 

Study by Tammy Tkach

First published on 15 August 2023, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com

About the writer:
Tammy Tkach is the Assistant Pastor of the Eugene, Oregon, USA congregation. She is a speaker and writer, and publishes a blog at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com  

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