2 Corinthians 1:2-4 – 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 the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.
: to alleviate the grief, sense of loss, or trouble of : comfort
The Father of mercies and the God of all consolation
In August of 2012, we were watching the landing on Mars, and my sons said a phrase I had never heard before…”Like a Boss”. Perhaps you’re like me and didn’t know this phrase, but as you can imagine, it means that you’re the best at something. It’s like you are in charge of all things that have to do with that subject. You’re a pro. You owned it. Basically that you know what you’re doing and it shows. God isn’t “like a boss of mercy and consolation, He is the Father of all mercies. He created mercy. He is the God of all consolation. You can’t get any more “Boss” than God.
Who consoles us in all our affliction
“If God brings you to it, He’ll see you through it.” I don’t know if God brings all things on us. I think somethings He would rather we didn’t get ourselves into, but no matter what He can bring us through it. I also believe that going through affliction, persevering and clinging to God draws us closer to God and others. Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” We definitely go through some rough stuff in life. But with Christ we can get through it. When we rely on God, and see His faithfulness after we’ve come through something horrible, our faith is increased. We know that God has given us strength to endure the pains of today, but that we are promised a future that is without pain and suffering with Him in heaven.
So that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God
I’ve seen it time and time again, in my life as well as the life of my friends. Our sufferings of today are our connections of tomorrow. Whether it is a life altering diagnosis, a miscarriage, a rough marriage, bankruptcy, childlessness, being single, or whatever it is you’re going through, someone else has gone through it too. Being able to talk with others who have faced similar (though each situation is unique) problems, gives us consolation. God has brought us through things that were horrible. At the time we didn’t think we would make it through. They seemed too painful, to hopeless or unbearable. But, by the Grace of God, we did make it through. I’ll bet most of us have gone through something really tough. I would also bet that most of us have been able to console someone else because of what we went through. Hearing that others survived helps us to persevere through our plight, then be able to help others. I know that’s how it felt whenever I met a mother of twins. They would see me with my little twin babies and look at me reassuringly saying, “It gets easier”. That gave me hope. They had seen and experienced the frustrations that come in the early years of raising twins, and knew it would get easier. They were right, but their consolation was comforting and encouraging.
Our Pain becomes a blessing
Sometimes our pains can even turn out to be a blessing. An opportunity for growth in our families, churches and communities. We’re able to connect with people on a deeper level than we were before. We’re able to see God at work in our lives and the lives of others. We see purpose in our suffering. We grow and are strengthened in relationships and faith. Next time (or maybe right now) as you go through a time of suffering, look for how God might use this in the future. Think about who might be blessed by knowing what you’ve gone through. How you might help someone who feels like there is no one else out there going through these same things. Maybe they need to know that not all families are kind. Maybe they need to know that they can survive the pains of this world. Maybe they need to know that you came through bankruptcy, that the Lord provided even when it seemed impossible. Maybe they need to know that your marriage wasn’t always easy. Maybe they need to know that one day their baby will sleep through the night. But they certainly need to know that in the end, the Lord their God wants them to spend eternity with Him in heaven. He has big plans for them, and not all of them are just here on earth. He wants to continue to bless them into all eternity. There is hope in the consolation from our Lord.
Who is consoling you?
God is... 