The God of All Comfort [2 Corinthians 1:3-7]

Our God is the God of all comfort (verse 3). God is the One who comforts us in all our tribulations, and He is also the One who enables us, through the comfort we have received, to comfort those who are in any trouble (verse 4).

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 "16Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work."

Then how does God comfort us?

He comforts us through Christ. Jesus Christ, who is the mystery of God, suffered so that we might receive comfort, and the comfort by which He enables us to comfort others also abounds through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:21-24 "21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth... 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

Therefore, if we become partakers of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, the comfort of God will be with us, and even in the midst of suffering, we will be able to endure with an even firmer hope.

Then what must we do in order to partake of the sufferings of Jesus Christ?

The sufferings of Jesus Christ do not include only the sufferings that come through missions or evangelism. Believing the words of Jesus and seeking to live according to those words where we are now can also be partaking of the sufferings of Jesus Christ. This is because whether a person goes far away to do missionary work, or lives an ordinary life where he is, or is sick and lying in bed unable to move... all of us who believe in Jesus must believe the words of Jesus and live according to those words in our own place. No one can live apart from the truth (John 15:5-6). Therefore, wherever we are, believing and obeying the words of Jesus becomes partaking of the sufferings of Jesus Christ.

To those who partake of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, it is said, as in the words below, that they will also receive glory together with Jesus.

Romans 8:17-18 "17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Therefore, with a "willing heart," we must "rejoice" to partake of the sufferings of Jesus Christ. This is like willingly taking up the cross given to us and going to Jesus. Just as Jesus, though He was in the form of God, came to this earth in the lowly form of a servant for us, suffered the cross and death, and received the consolation of the resurrection, we also must willingly partake of the sufferings of Jesus Christ in order to receive the comfort of God...

"And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. (2 Corinthians 1:7)"

Amen... The everlasting comfort of God is with those who partake of the sufferings of Jesus Christ!