“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 will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
We have all experienced times when we needed to be comforted. Sometimes it’s physical, emotional or spiritual pain, but more often than not, it is a mixture. It is not uncommon for our physical and/or emotional pain to trigger a spiritual dilemma and raise questions about God’s promises, His wisdom and love for us. As a parent and grandparent, I’ve done my share of scooping up children to give them solace. To a child, a skinned knee or deep cut can cause such anguish that they act as if the world is about to end. They are stuck in the pain. However, adults know that in the short run, the acute pain and fear will end and that in a matter of days, the wound will heal. With that knowledge, we are able to confidently calm and encourage them. Yet, many of the wounds of life carry with them emotional and spiritual trauma. It is in those moments that we need the comfort and reassurance of our God. As a triune God, His comfort is always tailored to our specific need in ways that we are often unaware of.
2 Corinthians 1 tells us that God the Father is “the Father of all mercies” and the “God of all comfort”. He is ready, willing and able to comfort us in ways that we cannot fathom. His plans for our lives and His ability to weave lives together means that He is never caught off guard or unprepared for the situation. The comfort of our Heavenly Father is complete and extends not only to the physical or emotional pain, but also deep into our soul. It is complete and at the right time. As Isaiah 49:13 reminds us, God has been comforting man since the beginning of time and has compassion on the afflicted. Further, He reminds us that we are His and He will be with us. “But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.’” (Isaiah 43:1-2) This was originally spoken to the Israelites who time and time again were rebellious. Yet God’s love and compassion prevailed in His willingness to comfort and sustain them despite their shortcomings. Consequently, as His children redeemed by the blood of Christ, we have no reason to doubt that He will do the same for us. He does not promise to keep trial and tragedy from us, but He does promise be with us and prevent us from drowning in or being destroyed by our agony. Further, He not only watches over us, but also turns our trials into something useful and good.
In Christ, God has subjected Himself to human form. If that in and of itself wasn’t enough, Isaiah and Hebrews speak to the fact that He certainly understands our pain. While on this earth, He endured temptation, sickness, pain, rejection, loss and crucifixion to provide salvation for us and stand as our mediator with God the Father. Who better to take our hurts, sorrows and frustrations to than someone who has experienced what we are encountering and knows us better than we know ourselves? There is no problem with which He cannot identify. When we feel the need for someone who understands our pain, we can turn to Christ who can not only empathize, but also sustain us and intercede for us.
The Holy Spirit dwells in us to comfort us, strengthen us, guide us and pour out God’s love in our lives. (Acts 9:31, Ephesians 3:16, John 16:13-14, and Romans 5:5) In our suffering we need wisdom and guidance. It is the Holy Spirit residing in us that provides guidance and kindles our hope as we walk through the difficulties of life.
At times we feel the need for our Heavenly Father to comfort us as a confident parent or guardian; at other times long for Christ to meet our needs as someone who truly understands our pain; and at still other times beg the Holy Spirit to just reach in and calm our souls, give us direction and renew our hope. Thankfully, no matter what we perceive our need to be, we know that God can and will confidently meet all of our needs perfectly, completely and at the right time knowing that the distress will pass and we will be restored to a peaceful existence. Turning to God should be our first reaction to any difficult situation rather than our last resort so that we can receive His sustaining grace, caring consolation and direction from the beginning.
However, it doesn’t stop there. As we are relieved and our hope is restored, we as members of the body of Christ are called to use our experiences to reach out to others in pain. We pass on the blessing and provide human comfort rather than hoarding what God has given to us. At times we are called to do so after our trial has passed. However, many times (and regularly in the case of chronic illness) we must reach out to others as we are still managing and working through our own problems. At those times we are simultaneously receiving and giving. While that may seem a bit daunting, by God’s sustaining grace we have the capacity to do what is asked of us.
God has everything we need in a crisis and is willing and able to meet our every need so that we may meet the needs of others. Consequently, consider and take to heart the words of Paul to the Thessalonians. “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)