“…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4
December 2, 2022
Second Corinthians has been called Second Job. It is a book about the meaning of suffering. The readers are immediately plunged into the comforting capacity of God. Five times in two verses we meet the word comfort. The English word comes from the Latin fortis, which means “strength.” The “com” is an intensifying prefix. When we are comforted we are strengthened. It is of special note that the Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Comforter” (Jn. 14:16). But strengthened for what? For affliction or pressures. The Greek word carries that idea of being between a rock and a hard place. Have you found yourself in such a place? God puts us in such situations. He is in charge of all of our circumstances. Some are led to believe that the best way to handle tribulations (pressures) is to find an exit. The truth is God wants the believer to find strength in Him to work our way through the hard places in life. That is why God is called “The Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” If you want to build spiritual muscle let God be your trainer. Find out what God can do when the pressure and stress of life is unrelenting. Maybe you have a situation at this moment that is threatening your endurance. Talk to God about it and ask Him for the strength to hold up under the weight of it all.
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“Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, but for powers equal to your tasks.” Phillips Brooks