OUR FATHER’S COMPASSIONATE COMFORT TO HIS CHILDREN!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. —II Corinthians 1:3—7
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. —II Corinthians 1:21-22
Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. —II Corinthians 2:10-11
Is Satan deceiving you? Is he outwitting you because of unforgiveness? Be aware of his schemes that include unforgiveness. Don’t forget who you are! Our forgiving Lord forgave us and we, as followers/disciples of Jesus, “stand firm in Christ.” He owns us and has given us “his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” Nothing can change that!
No amount of suffering can change who we are in Jesus— we are children of God and He loves us. He is compassionate. He is the comforter and “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Our Lord God Almighty comforts us so that we can learn from His comfort and use that which we learned to comfort others in their suffering. Comfort abounds in Jesus. So let us look to Him and encourage others to look to Him as well. Comforting others comes from God’s comforting us so which “produces in (others) patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”
Yes, we all will suffer to some degree or another, but we all can experience the comfort that God gives. We thank You, Dear Father, for the comfort that You give that we in turn can comfort others. May we do so with the wisdom You give through the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, may this be so and all for Your honor and glory. Thank You! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85I6HI2E4AA&list=RD85I6HI2E4AA&start_radio=1