Post by georgiapeach on Feb 19, 2006 15:02:51 GMT -5
The God Of All Comfort
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (II Corinthians 1 : 3,4).
God is not only a God of holiness and judgment, but of love, and mercy, and comfort. In fact, as these verses say, He is the God of all comfort—every pain of life can find relief and consolation in His presence.
The Holy Spirit is often spoken of as our Comforter as well. “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth; . . . I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14 : 16–18). The Scriptures also bring comfort that we can find in no other place. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15 : 4).
As our text teaches, when we are comforted by God in our trials, we are then prepared to comfort others, “them which are in any trouble.” Paul described his experience of God’s comfort in this way: “God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more” (II Corinthians 7 : 6,7). Notice the chain reaction: Titus was comforted by the believers at Corinth; Paul was comforted by Titus; and we are encouraged by Paul! Believers acting in right relation to each other can be a comfort to those around them who are hurting.