The God of All Comfort

For me, 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 has become a very valuable passage of Scripture. It is all about affliction and comfort. I'd like to spend a couple of days blogging on this passage. To begin with, why don't you pull out your copy of the Bible and read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. Have a pen ready and as you read, underline or circle every time you see the word "comfort," or a form of the same word. Here is what you will find:

Verse 3 = 1 usage

Verse 4 = 4 usages

Verse 5 = 1 usage

Verse 6 = 3 usages

Verse 7 = 1 usage

Did you get them all? In 5 verses of Scripture this word, or a form of the word, is used no less than 10 times! Do you need some comfort? Than this passage is for you! But before we get to the 10 usages of the word "comfort," notice that the passage starts with a focus on who God is. True comfort comes from God. The better we understand who God is the more we will experience the comfort that He offers to us.

In verse 3, Paul refers to God with 3 descriptions. Each are powerful in and of themselves. First, he refers to God as "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Second, he refers to God as "The Father of Mercies." He then refers to Him as "The God of all comfort." Here we have our first of the 10 usages of the word "comfort." God is "The God of all comfort."

The word "comfort" comes from a word which literally means "to call alongside." How does God give us comfort? Does He comfort us by taking away all of our pain? He could, but there is no promise in Scripture that He will (at least not on this earth). Does He comfort us by fixing the problem that is causing our pain? He could, but He does not always do this either. That is not the promise regarding His comfort.

What He does promise is that in the midst of our pain, hurt, trial and affliction, He will "come alongside" of us. Through the tears, through the heartache and through the misery, He will walk with us allowing us to lean on Him so that we make it through and find ourselves better because of it.

Verse 4 tells us the "The God of all comfort comforts in all our affliction." He promises to "come alongside" of us through every step, every pain, every tear and every hurt. He is the God of all comfort! If you need comfort then you need God!