Sufferings and Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:5-7

This is such an important part of Scripture - as many of us wonder about the troubles of this life...the why's and wherefore's. We wonder 'how come this is happening to me?" Or, "how come that is happening to them, or in the world?" Many times we will not have a specific answer..perhaps we will in eternity...however I'm thinking we won't have the same questions then. So let's look at a few of these verses individually.

"For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." Paul is telling us that there is a relationship between the sufferings we experience in this life, and the comfort we receive from Christ. We will receive the portion of comfort needed...actually abundantly...to the sufferings. Thank You Lord. Note something else. Paul experienced tremendous, abundant sufferings...for Christ sake. As he preached and taught the Scripture, and followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, and exercised the gift of the Spirit given him (healing, prophecy, wisdom, exhortation, rebuke, teaching etc.) he experienced sufferings. ....What are my sufferings related to? How many of them are related to the cause of Christ?...What about you?

I'm thankful to the Lord because the sufferings I experience here, even if I bring them on myself, through confession,repentance, receiving forgiveness and cleansing...God's comfort abounds. He may not take away the earthly consequences, but He carries me with His grace and mercy and does a Romans 8:28 (look it up if you aren't familiar:)).

"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." Wow, Paul as minister of Jesus, states his distress is for believers he is ministering to. His distress is used for their comfort because he shares the same comfort he receives from God, with them when they are distressed. He also is distressed/persecuted for (Christ sake) them so that they may know the way of salvation! He then states that when they are comforted by God, it helps them endure, with patience, their trials - their sharings of the sufferings that Paul suffers. Brothers and Sisters - and so it is with you and me. We experience distress in walking with and ministering in Jesus, we experience comfort from the Lord in the distress, we pass that on to others, and we are helped to endure with patience, sufferings of this life. Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Comforter (the Holy Spirit)!

"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 receive hope which is firm, in this reality! The reality of the relationship between the sufferings for Christ, the sufferings of this life, and the comfort we receive. For ourselves and for others. This is part of what it means to be the Body of Christ, such as we are, the church.

"Thank You Lord. Help us to see with Your eyes, the sufferings and comfort from You of this life. Let us share Your/our sufferings and Comfort, producing patient endurance for this life on earth....and for what awaits us in Glory!"

Hope that doesn't disappoint

Dear Ones,
Today is a day of great (earthly) trial...there are so many serious issues going on with the house in which I live, and I have little understanding and no ability to actually correct/fix the issues! Yet, in the midst, by God's grace, I see the opportunity to lean on the Lord, to depend and trust Him to work these things out...whatever 'working these things out' means...it may not be worked out according to my understanding...BUT GOD...I trust His understanding and ask the Lord for 'ears to hear, eyes to see, and heart and mind to follow' where God is leading in the matters at hand.
By God's grace I already see how the Holy Spirit is working in me and through me as I respond to the situation and interact with those involved. It amazes me that I'm not 'loosing my patience or temper' and at the same time able to articulate clearly what needs to be said. That is God...and I thank Him.
I'm not sure what this testimony has to do with the Scripture that is our focus today - except that Hope is being spoke of - and I know that the situation I find myself in today is only possible to 'endure and find encouragement' in is because the God of the Scripture is my 'only Hope.'
How about you? do you have Hope today? If so, what is the source of your Hope? If not, I pray you find the only Hope that is sure..Our Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and Holy Spirit...

Romans 15: 2-6 :"Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: 'The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.' For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement o the Scriptures we might have hope. MAY the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."