Comfort Through Pain

Scripture Passage: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  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.  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.

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

I gotta confess, it’s been a rather tough week for me.  One of the messages God put on my heart to study and prepare was “Overcoming Discouragement” And in His Grace, He allowed me to experience some so that I would appreciate the topic even more!  (2 Corinthians 1:4 (God) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.)  

Monday started with my youngest climbing into our bed around 3:00 and then proceeding to get sick, we had to immediately change the sheets. 

I went out to the barn and as soon as I was done milking the cow and she did a little Texas sidestep on me and knocked the milk can over and spilled all the milk (Well, I suppose there is no use crying over it!)  

Then when filming a message, I accidentally knocked over our egg holder that holds approximately 3 dozen fresh eggs.  I guess God has a sense of humor because I was just about to say, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.”

Then we were having some trouble getting the tractor running that we just spent a bit of money to have fixed.  Next, we find out that the refrigerator stopped working.  Needless to say, it was a discouraging day.  So, I sat down with my wife and son, and we prayed together.  And instantly a weight lifted.  After that I got the news that my sister had a healthy baby boy! 

Later in the day I took a walk out to the barn and just spent some time with the first calf born on our farm.  We named her “Adventure”. In John 16:21 Jesus said, “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”

It was quite a day, and by noon I was, as my friend says “Feeling about as low as a snake belly in a 4-inch wagon rut” Yet God was right there with me.  He doesn’t promise to never let us experience any discomfort but promised to never leave us and stay right there with us as we go through it.  For me it was a day of discouragement.  And yet a day of reflection on my own emotions and on God’s word.  A deep knowing that no matter how bad things get in this world I have a home in heaven waiting for me. 

My overriding thought was how can I use my discouragement to be an encouragement to others.  I hope my story encourages you and the next time you are going through some discouragement maybe you will remember this and think how you can use your discouragement to encourage others with the Hope of Jesus Christ! 

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Prayer: Lord help me to look towards you in my times of suffering and inconveniences.  Forgive me when I grumble and complain or act in ways that are less than honorable to you.  Help me to receive your comfort in all things that I may be always ready to share with others the comfort you freely give to me.

Amen.

Point to Ponder: Do I embrace discomfort the way Jesus did who it says of in Hebrews 5:8 (Jesus) Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.?

Verse to Memorize and Meditate on: 2 Corinthians 1:4 (God) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Apply it to your life: Commit to allowing all that happens to you today draw you closer to and more aware of the presence of Jesus.

Leave a comment below to share what God spoke to you specifically in this passage.