The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort . . . comforts us in all our troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
A young mom followed behind her daughter, who pedaled her tiny bike as fast as her little legs could go. But picking up more speed than she wanted, the little girl suddenly rolled off the bike and cried that her ankle hurt. Her mom quietly got down on her knees, bent down low, and kissed it to “make the pain go away.” And it worked! The little girl jumped up, climbed back on her bike, and pedaled on. Don’t you wish all our pains could go away that easily!
The apostle Paul experienced the comfort of God in his continual struggles yet kept going. He listed some of those trials in 2 Corinthians 11:23–29: floggings, beatings, stonings, sleep deprivation, hunger, concerns for all the churches. He learned intimately that God is “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (1:3) or as another version translates it: “He is the Father who gives tender love” (nirv). Much like a mom comforting her child, God bends down low to tenderly care for us in our pain.
God’s loving ways of comforting us are many and varied. He may give us a Scripture verse that encourages us to continue on, or He may have someone send a special note or prompt a friend to give us a call that touches our spirit. While the struggle may not go away, because God bends down low to help us, we can get up and pedal on.
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NIV)
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,h the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts usi in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,j so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;k if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,l so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed,m brothers and sisters,a about the troubles we experiencedn in the province of Asia.o We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,p who raises the dead.q 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,r and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hopes that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers.t Then many will give thanksu on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
INSIGHT
- In what ways has God comforted you?
- How can you be a comfort to others because of that?
In 2 Corinthians 1:3–7, the Greek noun and verb (paraklēsis and parakaleō) meaning “comfort” or “encouragement/encourage” occur ten times in only five verses! Emphasizing that God is the “Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (v. 3), Paul invites believers in Jesus to share in the suffering of those who spread the gospel (vv. 5–6) as well as the comfort and encouragement that “abounds through Christ” (v. 5). Paul confessed that it was intense suffering that taught him and his coworkers to “not rely on [themselves] but on God, who raises the dead” (v. 9).
PRAYER
Father of compassion, come near to me and hold me in Your arms where I can find rest and encouragement. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!!
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: Micah 6-7; Revelation 13
