Who Comforts Us

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 1:2-5

How does God comfort us in all our tribulation? If we consider the relationship to which Paul refers in the first verse of our text it may help us. He refers to God as ‘Our Father.’ When a child has trouble how does a good father respond? He sees the child, perceives the effect the trouble is having and moves to comfort the child in the midst of that tribulation. He comforts by his presence; by his words; and by his undivided attention. Even if he cannot remove the trouble, he will do what is in his power to support the child. God does not always remove our tribulations. He does comfort us as we endure them. He comforts us by His word. His written word comforts us as the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to us. Christ comforts us with His presence and has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He assures our hearts of His good will and upholds us through the trouble we endure. What the world cannot do, Christ does. He sees our trouble, understands the effect it has upon us, and moves to comfort us. He is the sympathetic, empathetic Savior Who comforts us in all our tribulation.  

Our Kind and Gracious God, 
we rejoice that You see us where we are. 
We praise You that You move to comfort us. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning