We don’t have to look far to find someone who is suffering. On any given day, someone we know is suffering pain from illness, grief from loss, anxiety from uncertainty…the list of hardships seems endless. Out of compassion, we reach out to offer our support. But what about when “we” are the ones facing hardship? While our instinct may be to help support others who are suffering, our own personal distress may be weighing heavy on hearts and prevent us from doing this very thing.
We can find hope in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4~
“ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Life Application~
When Paul the Apostle wrote about the “God of all comfort” to the people in Corinth, he himself had just been delivered from a near death experience. He wanted the people to have hope knowing that in his darkest hour, his reliance on God comforted him and delivered him. In Paul’s distress, trusting in God’s word was his life support. However, this support didn’t stop with Paul or the people in Corinth – it’s available to us today. Reading the word of God brings us comfort in the midst of our own hardships, and gives us a story of hope to share with others. God first comforts us, so we are better equipped to comfort others.
Prayer~
Heavenly Father, thank you for your compassion. Your word comforts and sustains me through the hardships. Give me the courage to share your story of hope with others, so they too can find comfort through You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
By: Angel Slawinski
