God Of All Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.  

II Corinthians 1:3-5 

How is God, the God of all comfort? The answer to that question leads us to Christ. Paul identifies God as the God of all comfort, and then proceeds directly to His comfort of us, ‘in all our tribulation.’ What is interesting is that tribulation is a given. The world in which we live is badly damaged. People often both cause tribulation for others, either intentionally, or unintentionally. We are liable to experience tribulation through illness or injury. The avenues through which we experience it are many and varied. We cannot escape tribulation in life, regardless of our wealth, talent or ability. Our tribulation is often of such a nature and severity that we need comfort. Where will we find it? We find it in Him Who is the God of all comfort. The last line of our text associates the comfort we receive from God with Christ. ‘Our consolation also abounds through Christ.’ God comforts us as He does because the tribulations we suffer in this world are the result of the condition of it because sin has damaged it and us. When we fell as a race in Adam, we began to live in a badly damaged world full of badly damaged people. Christ is the answer to that damage. He is the Solution. It is by Christ God comforts us.  

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice that You see us in our need. 
We praise that You give us comfort, 
when we are most distressed. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning