Comforting

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

The God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; 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, so also you share in our comfort.

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 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.

Bee's Thoughts:

The above passage brings back memories of the distress I'd been through in my life since childhood days. I grew up with much tears and sadness, which explains the big eye bags I have since young. :( As I grew older, I experienced different types of sorrows, especially when people I loved and cherished departed from my life. But with much tears and sorrows also gave me more chances to experience God's comfort for me.

I also felt the "sentence of death" (v9) at times and wondered if I could pull through. During my low periods in life, the only answer to my question on "Why me?" was, "God will use my experiences to help others in similar situations." (v4). True enough, God has used some of my experiences to help and encourage people who crossed my path.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your comfort during my times of tears and sorrows. Thank You for those who have comforted me too when I need a 'shoulder' to cry. Thank You that through my experiences I could also empathize with and comfort others in distress. Thank You for seeing me through in my darkest moment in life. Let me be a comforter to those in distress too.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.