Comfort in Affliction

I want to address the affliction you all have had this week with the loss of Noah Ensly…

I want to make it clear. I do not believe there are special or magic words that might make your pain go away.

Move In Towards God For Comfort…

1. Because He is the ultimate source of comfort.

1 Corinthians 1:3b-4a

2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV

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

God is...:

“the Father of mercies”. - Mercy: draws to mind compassion, understanding, and sensitivity towards pain felt.

“God of all comfort”. Comfort: Help, strength, sustenance, paraclete. God is source of it all.

“comfort in all affliction”. Affliction: Anything causing pain or distress, suffering, or calamity. God provides comfort for all types.

This text tells us that God is

“the Father of mercies” : The word Paul uses for “mercies” is one that draws to mind compassion, understanding, and sensitivity towards pain felt.

This is telling us that God has compassion on us in all circumstances and situations. And now, He has the capacity to completely understand our feelings and emotions and the hurt that is associated with this tragedy regarding Noah and his brother.

God understands your pain and sorrow better than anyone else. He understands it better than you understand it.

Because he understands better than all others, including yourself, he is the one who can provide the healing ointment we need. Which is essentially what we see next...

Paul calls God, the “God of all comfort” : Comfort being help or support. Its the same word that describes the Holy Spirit’s role in our Christian experience. One who comes to us and lifts us up when we fall down. One who pulls us forward as we feel pressed to go backwards.

I love this because it doesn’t just say God is the “God of comfort”… It says he is the “God of all comfort”.

All times and all ways you feel help, from what ever place it comes from, it’s actually from God. It’s God intimately and carefully working in your life to help you as you struggle.

Not just struggling with one thing. But with everything.

Look what it says next...

2 Corinthians 1:4a (ESV)

4 who comforts us in all our affliction...

The God of all comfort provides comfort in all affliction.

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Affliction

Affliction. Anything causing pain or distress; suffering; calamity.

Beloved, the tragedy of this week falls into this category.

The loss of Noah and his brother is an affliction. And this is exactly something God works to comfort you in.

Do you see exactly why I’m telling you now, in a time like this, it is imperative that you press in to God. Seek Him out. Pursue Him regardless of what your feeling and flesh may tell you.

You’re going to want to question God with accusations, or anger.

This is okay. It’s part of grieving. And he can handle it.

But don’t go with those questions and then turn away from him. Keep them coming. Keep going to Him. Keep begging Him for help.

I will say this though: Comfort and help doesn’t necessarily mean every question will be answered. Nor does it mean you will get the full picture.

Comfort means he understands. He cares. He desires to support you and help you. And he can and will if you move toward Him.

Draw nearer, nearer, and nearer.

Move In Towards God For Comfort

Because He is the ultimate source of comfort.

Move In Towards God For Comfort…

2. Because He will help you comfort each other.

2 Corinthians 1:4

2 Corinthians 1:4 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.

This text tells us that those who have found their comfort from the God of all comfort are then able to comfort others who are in affliction.

Think of it as a batter continually going back to a charger in order to power other things.

Those who have needed the power found in God’s comfort go to Him, receive it, and then are able to expel that comfort power out where it is needed. It’s also the most cleanest and purest form of that comfort power. Its not been diluted or dirtied. It’s clean, efficient, and able to help you.

Put another way…

Beloved, you need each other. You act as helpers. Lifters. Load bearers. Carrying to the goal if necessary.

As you all personally draw your comfort from God. You all need to then pour out into each other.

Remember: This word comfort is described in the same way the Holy Spirit is.

Someone who lifts you up. Someone who bears your load. Sometimes, they may even carry you all the way to the goal.

Also, this means that, as you draw near to God for his help and you all help each other as Christians, then you all can provide hope and comfort to those in your school who do not know Jesus.

You are Jesus for those who do not know Jesus

You can become Jesus to them and bring God’s comfort and help to them in the darkness they are experiencing right now.

Move In Towards God For Comfort…

Because He will help you comfort others

Move In Towards God For Comfort…

3. Because Jesus has moved towards you.

2 Corinthians 1:5

2 Corinthians 1:5 ESV

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

Jesus suffered too.

Jesus not only suffered the affliction of being scourged, mocked, spit on, crucified, dying, and enduring the full wrath of God…

Jesus suffered the affliction of our human experience.

Jesus is God coming down to us to meet us and experience living in this world full of death and suffering.

Jesus left heaven to…

Experience sickness

Experience growing older

Experience loosing people he loved to death

Jesus is your proof that God cares for you.

Jesus is your proof that God wants to carry this load of sorrow for you.

Jesus is your proof that God doesn’t abandon us in our worst afflictions.

Jesus is your proof that God knows your afflictions are “abundant”.

Look how Paul calls affliction “abundant”.

Paul is writing this under supernatural direction from Jesus. Jesus knows how abundant our sufferings are. He knows how terrible the loss of Noah feels. He knows it. And beloved, he knows it well. And He wants to be your door way to access the comfort He knows is available from His Father.

Jesus is your means of accessing all of the comfort I’ve described.