“All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
Such encouraging verses today. Our suffering isn’t pointless; it tests our faith, it conforms us to Christ’s likeness, it matures us—and it gives us a special opportunity to witness to others and build them up.
Have you ever cried out to God for comfort in a time of trial—sickness, grief, marriage issues, financial woes, oppression from enemies—and he answered you in a practical way? Maybe a friend called you up or your neighbor brought you a meal. Maybe an unexpected check arrived in the mail at just the right time. Maybe your pastor suggested a book that spoke directly to your issue. Those are all ways that God answers our cries for comfort.
I’ll bet the most comforting help you received is from someone who had experienced the same trial in the past. You don’t have to explain the whole story to this person; they understand just what you’re going through. They can listen and cry with you in a way that others can’t quite replicate. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God provides people to help us through our difficult times?
You are also one of those people! Think about the trials you’ve faced—write a list. Everything on your list can help someone going through the same thing. Some of the things on my list are: being a child of divorce, depression, codependency, marriage problems, financial difficulty, and being overweight. As I wrote in yesterday’s post, if I write out my faithwalk and remember how God has helped me with those issues, I have a testimony to share with others struggling with the same thing. It takes courage and authenticity to share my problems, but in doing so, I can help people, and that is such a gratifying way to recycle the pain.
Take some time today to list some ways you can comfort others based on the troubles you’ve faced.
If you are facing a trial right now and you feel alone, what steps can you take to find someone who has experienced what you are going through?
Copyright 2009
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