“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 tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” [1]
Yes, blessed be our Father and blessed be His Son Jesus Christ for the mercy and comfort He gives to us. How else would we overcome the tribulations and sadness that happens due to sin in the world? I have experienced abounding comfort from the Lord amidst sufferings.
At one point in my life, I lived in Hong Kong and ministered two days per week in China. In Hong Kong, I enjoyed many of the comforts I enjoyed while growing up in America, while in China I did not. But the spiritual blessings that I enjoyed amidst the Christians in China transcended any experience that I previously had in the USA by far.
“Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.” [2]
The Lord redeems the sufferings of us His servants by helping us pass tests and by giving us testimonies of victories to share with others of His amazing grace. Job, for example, endured great losses, but fought the good fight of faith, and in the end, enjoyed a great relationship with the Lord and more blessings from the Lord than he previously lost.
“Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.” [3]
There have been times in my life that I felt numb or dead inside due to such severe trials. I had no power to revive myself, except to trust in the Lord to do it for me. The old adage, “The Lord helps those who help themselves” is not in the the Bible. There are, however, many verses about how our Lord has raised people from the dead.
Jesus raises all who trust in Him from spiritual death. That happens when a sinner, who cannot save him or her self, cries out to Jesus, and says, “Lord Jesus, please help me! Please save me from my sin. Please make of me a new creation by the power of Your Holy Spirit!”
“For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.” [4]
A clean conscience is a blessing! Simplicity and godly sincerity only come to us by the grace of God.
“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” [5]
God is the source of our stability in Christ. He is the One who anoints us His servants. The presence of His Holy Spirit in our lives is the seal or evidence of the guarantee that He is with us. “Praise God! Thank You for Your Holy Spirit!”
[1] 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
[2] 2 Corinthians 1:6-7
[3] 2 Corinthians 1:9
[4] 2 Corinthians 1:12
[5] 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
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