Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3–11
Bible in a Year: Esther 3–5; Acts 5:22–42
Our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:7
A friend mailed me some of her homemade pottery. Upon opening the
box, I discovered the precious items had been damaged during their
journey. One of the cups had shattered into a few large pieces, a jumble
of shards, and clumps of clay dust. After my husband glued the broken
mess back together, I displayed the beautifully blemished cup on a
shelf.
Like that pieced-together pottery, I have scars that prove I can
still stand strong after the difficult times God’s brought me through.
That cup of comfort reminds me that sharing how the Lord has worked in
and through my life can help others during their times of suffering.
The apostle Paul praises God because He is
the “Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). The
Lord uses our trials and sufferings to make us more like Him. His
comfort in our troubles equips us to encourage others as we share what
He did for us during our time of need (v. 4).
As we reflect on Christ’s suffering, we can be inspired to persevere
in the midst of our own pain, trusting that God uses our experiences to
strengthen us and others toward patient endurance (vv. 5–7). Like Paul,
we can be comforted in knowing that the Lord redeems our trials for His
glory. We can share His cups of comfort and bring reassuring hope to the
hurting.
Lord, thank You for using us to provide comfort, encouragement, and hope to others who are suffering. We praise You for all You’ve done, are doing, and will continue to do to comfort us through our own afflictions.
God comforts others as we share how He comforted us.
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
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