How God’s Comfort Spreads

It is a glorious truth that God comforts us in our troubles. But did you know that God intends his comfort of us to be shared with others? Yes, that’s right. God’s comfort spreads as believers receive his comfort and share it with one another. Let’s look at how Paul unpacks this truth in his second letter to the Corinthians. The passage and study notes below were taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition.

2 Corinthians 1:3–7

“³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. ⁴ He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. ⁵ For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. ⁶ Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. ⁷ We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.”

Study Notes

1:3–5 Many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of a desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for him. We must understand that being comforted can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope from God and others to deal with our troubles. The more we suffer for the cause of Christ, the more comfort God gives us. If you are feeling overwhelmed by ridicule, rejection, or abuse for following Christ, allow God to comfort you. Remember that every trial you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering from similar troubles.

1:5 Suffering for Christ refers to those afflictions we experience as we serve him. At the same time, Christ suffers with his people, since they are united with him. In Acts 9:4–5, Jesus asked Paul why he was persecuting him. This implies that Christ identified with and suffered with the early Christians when they were persecuted.

How God Uses Suffering

1:6–7 Paul had a view of suffering that was radically different from most people’s. He recognized that God uses suffering, especially the trials and discomfort associated with the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom, to help shape Christians to become more like Jesus. We suffer for the gospel just as Jesus suffered for it (Philippians 1:29; 3:10). Peter agreed with Paul: Christians should rejoice when they suffer, for in their own suffering they will in some small way experience what it meant for Jesus to suffer for their sins (1 Peter 4:12–13).

In addition to drawing people closer to Christ, suffering can also help us grow in our faith. God uses suffering to refine his people and shape us into more mature disciples. In fact, suffering should be thought of as the necessary but rewarding pain that accompanies spiritual growth. In Romans, Paul noted that suffering produces perseverance, which in turn produces Christian character (Romans 5:3–4; also see James 1:3–4; 2 Peter 1:6; Revelation 2:2, 19). This passage highlights another benefit to suffering: It teaches the sufferer how to encourage others who are also suffering.

2 Corinthians 1:8–11

“⁸ We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. ⁹ In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. ¹¹ And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.”

Study Notes

1:8–10 Paul does not give details about their trouble (hardship) in Asia, although his accounts of all three missionary journeys record many difficult trials he faced (Acts 13:2–14:28; 15:40–21:17). He does write that they felt that they were going to die and realized that they could do nothing to help themselves—they simply had to rely on God.

1:8–10 We often rely on our own skills and abilities when life seems easy and only turn to God when we feel unable to help ourselves. As we realize our own powerlessness without him, we will seek his constant help in our lives through prayer and come to depend on him more and more. We can be confident of his power to rescue us, and we will receive his help by keeping in touch with him. With this attitude of dependence, our problems will drive us to God rather than away from him. If you have this attitude, it will also energize your prayer life and the lives of those who are earnestly praying for you.

1:8 Being a follower of Christ doesn’t exempt a person from crushing pressure, stress, or depression. Many Christians believe that followers of Christ should never be depressed. But here Paul, a champion of the early church, was dealing with that very problem. For him, pressure was part of his sanctification, helping him to become more and more like Christ. Evidently, he wondered if he would ever escape his tough circumstances. No doubt you have felt this way about your situation too. When you pray, honestly tell the Lord about the pressure and anxiety currently consuming you. Ask him to undergird you as you chip away at situations you feel are beyond what you can handle.

How We Can Help Others Through Prayer

1:11 Paul requested prayer for himself and his companions as they traveled to spread God’s message. Pray for pastors, teachers, missionaries, and others who are spreading the Good News. Satan will challenge anyone who honors Jesus with their words and actions, but prayer can defeat him.

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