Daily Devotional for October 25, 2013

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort.  He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share that same comfort with others in trouble.  We share in the terrible sufferings of Christ, but also in the wonderful comfort he gives.
 
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
 
A lot of people are hurting today.  Some of you lost loved ones this week… others faced life-threatening health issues… while others continued to cling to life.  Some of you feel like you are in such a heap of trouble that nothing can save you.  Some of you have worries and concerns about family members and friends… and some even feel like it’s all just too much… that you are simply drowning in despair and impossibilities.
 
The Good News of this passage is that God is merciful.  He will comfort us… and in turn, we can comfort others.   Who can better reassure a wife whose husband is facing serious heart surgery than a wife who has stood in her place already?  Who knows the heartache of losing a spouse better than a grieving widow or widower? Who can better offer solace and hope to a friend who has lost his/her job and faces eviction because the rent cannot be paid than someone who has “been there, done that”?
 
See, God doesn’t waste our experiences… even the troubles and terrible sufferings – the heartaches and our grief.  He uses these to help others in similar situations… if/when we will allow it.  Christ suffered and died on our behalf, and as we share His story with others, we must own our part in this as sinners for whom He gave His very life.  But we can also acknowledge the fact that Jesus offers each of us comfort and the promise of heaven – if only we will accept Him.
 
I don’t know what this week has brought you specifically, but I know that God can use everything that you have experienced for His good.  He will comfort you and give you mercy and peace… and He will show you how to extend what you have received to someone else.  Will you be paying attention?  Will you recognize – and accept – His gifts of consolation and hope?  Are you willing to share in both the sufferings and the wonderful comfort He offers?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus