Thriving in Affliction

Thrive in Affliction

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

The Bible is full of paradoxes, and some of those paradoxes can be found in 2 Corinthians. In verses three through seven of chapter one we find a paradox. The context that we find this paradox is affliction.

In the five verses that we are studying today, Paul uses two different root words to describe the troubles that we face in life, especially those we face on account of being followers of Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t say that using two different roots is unusual, but it is interesting. I have come to the conclusion that Paul uses two different root words to make sure that he covers all the afflictions we face in life. By using the different words Paul is covering outward circumstances that inflict distress, and inward affliction that brings anguish of heart.

When we hear the word affliction, or troubles, we don’t immediately think about thriving or flourishing. No, we think the opposite. Affliction is not the environment that is conducive for thriving in life, unless you are a Christian who has Spirit-infused power for everyday living.

The apostle Paul will teach us, by his own example, how to thrive in affliction. Paul is able to thrive because he views life through the lens of the gospel. But for Paul, viewing life through the lens of the gospel goes beyond positive thinking. Positive thinking can keep you from dealing with reality. Paul is all about Positive living. The Holy Spirit empowers us to experience positive living. To maintain the Spirit-infused power for positive living, we learn from Paul that we must keep our focus on the Lord in affliction.

1. Keep your focus on the Lord in affliction.

Paul begins with a doxology in verse three, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul is affirming that the Lord is worthy to be praised. When we praise the Lord we are indirectly thanking him. This doxology reveals Paul’s trust in the Lord.

The only way to thrive in affliction is through the strength of the Lord. Therefore, Paul expresses his trust by continually keeping his eyes upon the Lord, especially in affliction. Two reasons for keeping our focus are given in verse three. First, we must keep our focus on the Lord because God is the source of comfort.

a. God is the source of comfort

Paul describes aspects of God’s nature. “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” God is nature is a merciful nature. You could also translate it the “Father of compassion.” The Greek word that we translate “mercy” means to display concern over another’s misfortune. Mercy is God helping those who can’t help themselves. Our Father in heaven is tender in mercy. He is gentle and gracious towards his children.

He is also the God of all comfort. You could translate this phrase, “and the God who always gives comfort.” We must keep our focus on the Lord in affliction because he is concerned about our misfortune and as a Father full of tender mercy; he is always ready to comfort.

Paul wants us to really focus on the comfort that we receive in affliction. So much so that we find the noun and verb form the word affliction used ten times in five verses. He wants us to know that God is the source of comfort and that he is ready to give it when we need it.

Now, it is important that we understand what type of comfort that Paul is talking about. For most of us, the word “comfort” speaks of a life free from troubles and anxieties. Comfort is about emotional and physical well-being, freedom from pain, and the experience of contentment and satisfaction. But that is not what “comfort” means in this passage.

The two Greek words that are used in this passage for comfort are “parakalasis” and “parakaleo.” Both mean to encourage, exhort, and console. They have the connotation of embolden someone in belief and action, to put courage into someone.

It has nothing to do with a feeling of satisfaction or contentment. It is not about dulling the pain. It relates to exhortation, encouragement, and help. The comfort that God gives strengthens us in our weakness with an unbending resolve and unending assurance. God’s comfort is Spirit-infused power that strengthens us so that we can thrive in affliction. We keep our focus on the Lord be he is the source of comfort. We also keep our focus on the Lord because God comforts us in any affliction.

b. God comforts you in any affliction

It doesn’t matter what affliction you face, God will put strength, courage, and assurance in you so that you can stand and thrive in affliction. You affliction may be physical; keep your focus on the Lord. You affliction may be emotional; keep your focus on the Lord. Your affliction may be spiritual; keep your focus on the Lord. Your affliction may be relational; keep your focus on the Lord. Your affliction may be financial; keep your focus on the Lord. To experience Spirit-infused positive living we must also realize the purpose for the comfort we receive from the Lord.

2. Realize the purpose for the comfort that we receive from the Lord.

Verse four, “who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in affliction.” God comforts us in affliction by strengthening us so that we can face our affliction, and experience spiritual renewal and refreshment in the midst of affliction. When we experience God’s comfort, we then become a conduit for God’s comfort for others who are experiencing affliction.

When we experience God’s comfort we become God’s agents strengthening others. The same root word that being used for comfort in this passage is also used for the Holy Spirit. It means to come alongside and encourage. Paul says that we are “able to comfort.” The word for “able” means to make competent, to make capable. We become competent and capable of comforting because God empowers us with his Spirit. Notice that last part verse four, “with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” God is the source of comfort, and he uses his people as agents of his comfort. The comfort that you receive from the Lord should flow through you to others in affliction.

The second church I pastured split. It was the longest eighteen months of my life. It split on a Sunday morning right after the morning worship before everyone left, and it was not pretty. I remember going home after all the drama unfolded thinking that I didn’t want to go back that night for the worship service and business meeting that was scheduled to follow. But, reluctantly I did.

That evening I waited in the foyer for people to show up, not knowing who would come since half the church resigned. While I waited I noticed a pastor from a church down the road walking up. His name is Russell Rogers. I asked him what he was doing here. He told me that he heard what had happened, and God told him to come over. In fact, he said the Lord told him to take his church and come and worship with us that evening. You see, about five months earlier his church split, and God comforted him through the affliction, and now he wad doing what he was suppose to with the comfort that he received. He was an agent of God’s comfort. That is God’s purpose for you comfort. Next we see that if we are going to experience Spirit-infused positive living we must possess a theological understanding about affliction and comfort.

3. Possess a theological understanding about affliction and comfort.

Verse five teaches us that God’s comfort will always meet us at our point of need.

a. God’s comfort will always meet you at your point of need.

“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” Paul uses parallelism in this verse. We suffer abundantly, we are comforted abundantly. The Greek word that is translated “abundantly” is a commercial term When used in a business context it refers to profit or surplus. Paul has in mind a balance sheet with two columns. In one column you have the suffering we experience. In the other you have the comfort receive from Christ in afflictions. Though one column is full of unbearable affliction, the comfort column always shows a surplus. Christ’s comfort more that balances our afflictions. As believes we need to remember what Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “Our present afflictions are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” God’s comfort always meets us at our point of need. Next, we see that God’s comfort strengthens us to patiently endure affliction.

b. God’s comfort strengthens you to patiently endure affliction.

Verse six, “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, and if we are comforted, it is for you comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.” The effect of God’s comfort is endurance. The Greek word translated “endure” is “hupomano.” It is a compound word that means to “remain under” or “dwell under.” It speaks of having the capacity to bear up in the face of difficulty. God’s comfort strengthens us to patiently endure in afflictions. Verse seven presents us with a paradox. God’s comfort comes through affliction, not apart from it.

c. God’s comfort comes through affliction, not apart from it.

“Our hope for you us unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.” It is in affliction that we are comforted, not apart from it.

Last Fall was one of the most difficult seasons in my walk with the Lord. The exact day things started getting really bad was September 14, 2011. Sometime that day I wrote these words in my prayer journal, “Lord, this a terrible day.” And things just got worse for me. Four days later I wrote in my prayer journal, “Lord, why do I have my life? Why am I struggling with wanting to live? I know Satan wants to destroy my life. Lord, I am saddened by my condition.”

The condition that I am talking about is depression. I guess I was already experiencing depression before September 14, but I would not have told you I was. Two days prior to September 14, I took Sudafed for my congestion. Took it two days in a row. By the fourteenth, I had hit the bottom of depression. I didn’t know it was depression at first. I though I was really sick, but I knew it was a different kind of sickness when I didn’t want to live anymore.

To make matters worse, I didn’t know where to go. I had all the Biblical answers, but I could not pull myself out of it. It was a heavy oppression upon me that I could not escape. It got to the point I was praying, Lord, help me get through this day. I felt hopeless. Then God put some people in my life, a counselor, who helped me work out of the hole of depression that that I was in.

It took a whole month for me to feel normal again. As soon as I felt normal, God sent three people my way who were experiencing the same thing I was. I was able to comfort them with the same comfort I received from the Lord. You see, God’s comfort comes to us through affliction, not apart from it.

What’s afflicting you? Are you struggling to endure? Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full into his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.