Paul's Second Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 1, The God Of All Comfort

As Paul begins his second letter to the church at Corinth he speaks of the hardships that have befallen him. These hardships have thus far prevented him from making a visit to the Corinthian believers. We don't want to miss the fact that when Paul speaks of the comfort of the Lord he is speaking of this comfort in the midst of suffering. He isn't simply speaking pleasant platitudes. He is speaking as a man who has been tested and tried almost to the breaking point but who has been given the strength to endure it. If Paul had led a life of ease and pleasure we wouldn't be able to put much stock in his testimony about the ability of God to comfort the afflicted. But Paul is a man who knows what it's like to be hated, to be beaten, to be imprisoned, to work to the point of exhaustion, to go without sleep, and to do the Lord's work even while hungry and thirsty. We can trust his testimony about the faithfulness of God to comfort His people.

He begins with this salutation: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all His holy people throughout Achaia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:1-2) It is believed by many scholars that Timothy wrote down this letter as Paul dictated it to him. In the salutation at the beginning of the first letter, Paul greeted the believers along with Sosthenes, who is thought to have transcribed the first letter. Today Paul greets them along with Timothy, who likely transcribed the second letter.

Now we arrive at the passage that is the theme we chose for this blog: "Comfortable Words". If the Scriptures were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and if they did not have the power of God in them, there would be no comfort for us in our study of the Bible. But God is able to do what He says He can do. And God is able to help us do what He has told us to do. His word is trustworthy. "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." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Paul is able to extend comfort to others because he has experienced the comfort of God in his darkest hours. It isn't very comforting when someone who has never experienced real hardships tells us everything is going to be alright. But when we are reassured by someone who has been through the same things we are going through (or worse!) we can take heart. I know people who have experienced the comfort of God in the death of a child, and in the loss of a spouse, and in the breakup of a marriage, and during treatment of serious illnesses, and during a time of job loss and financial hardship. I see the peace in their hearts and the comfort they feel in spite of what they are going through. People like that are able to reassure me that God will be with me and help me. I trust what they say because they have experienced the comfort of God themselves. In the same way we should comfort others who are going through things we've been through. "For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." (2 Corinthians 1:5-7)

None of us enjoys suffering. We are especially resistant to it when we can't figure out the meaning for our suffering. We may not always know why hardships come against us in this world, but we have the power to use our experiences to bless others. We can make our suffering mean something by ministering to those who are enduring the same things. During hard times we must lean on the Lord and let Him comfort us, and then we will be able to tell others that His grace was sufficient in our time of need. (2 Corinthians 12:9) This proves to those around us that His grace will be sufficient in their time of need. 

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself." (2 Corinthians 1:8) We don't know what situation Paul and the other apostles endured, but we do know that wherever the gospel went, persecution followed. The circumstances were so grievous that the apostles felt they were about to meet their death.

"Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." (2 Corinthians 1:9) Paul says, "God used this situation to teach us to rely on Him and not on ourselves. The God who raises the dead is able to deliver us from all persecution."

"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." (2 Corinthians 1:10-11) Does God need our prayers in order to do great things? No, but He invites us to participate in intercessory prayer. Don't we feel more invested in situations that we have prayed about? Our faith grows when we pray about something and then see God do great things. We have more confidence to come to the Lord with our own troubles after witnessing how He helps others in their troubles. The Lord intends for all of us to work together as a family: to pray for each other, to encourage each other, and to rejoice together when our prayers are answered.