Comfort in Suffering

Praise

2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

In suffering believers have reason to praise

How do you approach suffering? What does your mind drift toward?

When that trial or obstacle comes many of us turn inward…even those of us who are mature. We begin to hoard. Our time, attention, etc. to benefit us and try to soften the blow.

Yet here Paul has suffered a great deal. Currently what was happening at Corinth was not only was he suffering persecution abroad but he was dealing with people that were defaming him amongst those he loved.

We have talked much about natural suffering but what about that which is inflicted by other individuals? The pains we carry around. Those can be some of the ones that sting us the most.

Paul is suffering both. While he was currently in Ephesus, the Corinthians were dealing with people that were coming at Paul claiming that he wasn’t an apostle.

Yet Paul started this letter with an interesting word, it’s where we get the term “eulogize” from. Although that may conjure thoughts of funerals that idea behind it is to “praise”.

So Paul, currently enduring all that he has, people dragging his name through the mud, being mocked, ridiculed, all while suffering to do so, resorts to…praise.

Let’s imagine for a moment that your family was hungry so you went out to the car to go to the store…car won’t start. You decide to walk. As you walk it begins to rain and about half way through the temperature drops and it becomes sleet. You get to the store get the food and begin the treck back. As soon as you leave the store the bag busts open so you have to carry it individually. You finally make it home, shivering, exhausted, hands cramping from carrying items and your family responds with “what took you so long?” and “this is all they had?” or better yet, mama’s ‘friend’ brought us something....I bet praise ain’t coming out your mouth.

This is what Paul was dealing with. He had struggled to birth the Corinthian church. Suffered in bringing them the Gospel and suffered because of it…only to be unappreciated once someone else came along.

Here’s the beauty though…when it all comes down to it…who do you do it for? Your entire emotional well being is going to depend on the answer to that question.

Paul here makes a bold statement…in the midst of affliction…ungratefulness…betrayal…abuse…I PRAISE GOD!!!

Why? Because it is from Him that all mercies and comfort originate.

Our Heavenly Father is the Father of Mercy....the word used here means “He is concerned with our suffering” or He has compassion on us.

The term “compassion” derives from the idea of suffering with someone. Which makes perfect sense when we think of the next term.

He is also the God of Comfort. “parakalew” to call someone alongside yourself.

When we suffer, God is the first and the most loyal person that is going to be called to your side. He is with you! Standing beside you!

I have made much about comfort and how it is the thing that many people serve. The difference between idolatrous comfort and God’s comfort is simply this....the comfort of this world has a focus on self and is determined by the absence of the circumstance.

The comfort of God is focused on God and is determined by the presence of the Father. One is focused on self…the other on God…one is determined by absence of pain…the other is determined by presence of God.

If you are waiting for the comfort of this world than your praise is shallow and short lived…however, when you have the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort CALLED TO YOUR SIDE…YOU CAN PRAISE HIM IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!!!

So Paul leads off here with PRAISE be the God and Father…why? Because He comes alongside us in our suffering…

But let’s ask the real question…God if you’re here…why am I suffering than???

TR: because there is purpose to your trial and that purpose is bigger than your personal pleasure....you are called to participate...

Participation

2 Corinthians 1:4–5 ESV

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. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

In suffering believers have reason to participate

Participation in the comfort of God is unique.

Here’s a secret family…your suffering many times has nothing to do with you.

The time that David Jackson confronted me with not sharing with the congregation that my mother had cancer and how that was impacting me. My struggle through that was a benefit to others. My tribulations are a testimony to others and about God’s goodness. How he delivers, provides, loves, shows mercy, encourages, corrects....I am a living, breathing epistle of the works of God!!!

Paul here makes it clear to the Corinthian church. The reason why God came alongside Paul to give him strength in suffering....is so that he could come alongside others when they needed strength.

This is a beautiful passage but it may not completely come through in the English…

It says that God is called ALONGSIDE the believer…to deal with the weight (which is what affliction is)/pressure/burden....

Saints God is standing next to you when the rain falls, when the news drops, when the prognosis seems dim, when it’s MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN BEAR ALONE!!!

And God does it, comes alongside you and provides you abundant help! What He gives is more than what the weight demands....

In the Greek this passage speaks of God providing comfort that’s OVER the affliction not just “in” it!

Listen family…when GOD STEPS IN!!!! You have an ABUNDANT HELPER!!! It ain’t one of your homies jumping in…one of your friends that are struggling too that’ll gonna help…it’s a GOD THAT SAYS WHEN HE COMES ALONGSIDE YOU HE IS PROVIDING YOU MORE THAN WHAT YOU NEED!!!

He’s not coming alongside you just so you can suffer together…He’s coming alongside you and He’s going to lift…God is doing the heavy lifting…that’s why it didn’t crush you.

Why is He doing that???? So that you can have the POWER to come alongside someone else when they feel the weight!

See when we think about power, we think explode. We think miraculous parting the Red Sea, etc. Is there anything more powerful than comforting someone when they feel pressed down by circumstances?

So Paul here says that God is going to comfort you, exceedingly, so that/for the purpose of you taking His excessive comfort that you received to someone else when they are going through something that’s overwhelming them.

In the English it comes through clearly in v. 5....we share abundantly in sufferings for Christ and we also share abundantly in the comforts.

Because of that, with that in mind, how can you not praise Him?

Here’s the thing though, some of us have been comforted by God through some crazy times and yet we keep it to ourselves…but the entire reason you went through it is to help your brother/sister in Christ.

But instead of participating in the comforting, we have lived a life turned inward, and others are buried under the very thing we were meant to help them lift...

Saints your comfort in suffering isn’t just for you…it’s for others.

TR: That’s because your suffering has that as it’s purpose...

Purpose

2 Corinthians 1:6–7 ESV

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

In suffering believers have purpose

If I’m pressed down, it’s so that later on I can come alongside you and share with you the salvation of the Lord.

If I’m abundantly helped by the Lord it’s so that I can join with you when you go through the same thing.

One of the things that is apparant in the church in America is that we prize our individuality when in fact we are called to be a community.

EVERYTHING ABOUT your life is for the purpose of others or for God....even your suffering.

LAND IT LOUD

Because of that reality Paul’s faith in the Corinthian church wasn’t shaken. He had HOPE

As I do for you all.

Family as we go through this time, one of the most difficult things for me as a pastor has been the fear of what happens if one of you all is suffering....as a father…what happens if one of my kids suffer…or as a friend....what happens if one of my loved ones suffering.

You may have shared those same fears…and the fear is even heightened because not only would they suffer but you literally couldn’t be there to help them.

Here we have a great testament to the God we serve…that when man’s arms aren’t long enough to reach…when our strength isn’t strong enough to lift…when the distance is too great…

THAT WE HAVE A FATHER THAT CREATED COMPASSION…HE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO COMFORT....and THAT God is familiar with the weight…He sent His son to bear THAT WEIGHT…He’s AQUAINTED with it.

But that’s not all…since He knows it He’s not only able to but it’s in His character to…COME ALONGSIDE us in that weight…He’s going to COMFORT us…ABUNDANTLY so…and because of that I HAVE HOPE!!!

Hope that ain’t gonna be shook, that’s trustworthy, that’s well placed, because WE KNOW what our God is about...

Be comforted family…be abundantly comforted…and as you are…pour out that excessive comfort on others and watch as the Spirit of God works.