Based on a series of sermons preached in PCC Prayer Meetings in 2023-2024
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
The apostle Paul seldom talks about himself. In most of his letters, personal references are scarce. But his second inspired letter to the Corinthians is an exception. In this letter, Paul opens his heart wide. As he does so, he reveals something of the sufferings he endured as a Christian and an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, almost as soon as he opens this letter, he begins to talk about his trials, as we can see in our text for this meditation.
The word translated ‘tribulation’ in verse 4 literally means ‘pressure.’ It is also rendered as ‘trouble’ in the same verse. It occurs a total of nine times in this letter! Comparatively it appears only five times each in Acts, Romans and Revelation. In all the other books, it occurs fewer than five times.
What does Paul say about tribulations and troubles in these opening words of his letter? Let me highlight three things.
1. God Our Father Is the God of All Comfort
Notice how Paul speaks of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (v. 4). The Father of the Lord Jesus is of course our Father, for while He is the eternally begotten Son, we are adopted children through Him. Therefore, as our Saviour found comfort in Him, we may all find comfort in Him likewise.
The Psalms of comfort are the words of Christ. He would undoubtedly have sung them with conviction during His earthly ministry. He would have sung “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Ps 23:4) and “Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side” (Ps 71:21). Who is the ‘thou’ when He sang these words? No doubt, He was referring to the Father. And so too when we sing these words in union with Jesus, we are referring to His and our Father.
Our heavenly Father is the God of all comfort. As He comforted our elder Brother in His tribulations, so He comforts us. But let us not forget that our Father comforts us through Christ.
2. Christ Is the Source of Our Comfort
This is what Paul means in verse 5, when he says, “our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” That is to say, although the Father is the God of all comfort, He comforts us through Christ. He comforts Christ directly because He is His eternally begotten son who is sinless and perfect. But He comforts us through Christ because the great distance between the Father and us can only be bridged through Christ, the God-Man.
How are we comforted by Christ? We are comforted by the assurance that He understands all our tribulations, for He was tempted in all points like as we are, sin excluded. We are also comforted by His sovereign rule over all things on our behalf, and by His intercessions for us by the right hand of God. We are comforted, therefore, by the assurance that all things are in His hands working together for the good of all who love God and are called according to His purpose. We are comforted, moreover, by the power of His Spirit working peace, joy and hope in our hearts.
A child who is learning to swim without floats may find assurance in his father as he looks to him and remembers how much he loves her and will not let her drown. Likewise, as long as our eyes are fixed on Christ, our comfort abounds in Him.
This is why, when we sing the Psalms where we acknowledge the LORD’s comfort, we do not only look to the Father, but also to Christ. When we sing Psalm 23, Jehovah is the Father, and He is also the Son and the Spirit. The rod and staff which the Father uses to comfort us is the rod and staff of the Son.
But laying these things aside for now, let us consider the third thing that Paul says in our text.
3. We Are Comforted that We May Comfort Others
Isn’t this what Paul says in verse 4? God comforts us in all our tribulation so that “we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
When you are feeling miserable because of the troubles that have befallen you, who do you want to listen to more? A pastor whose life is smooth and trouble free, or an ordinary friend who experienced similar trials, but came out stronger? If you’ve had a very traumatic childbirth, who would you like to talk to? An encouraging friend who never married, or a cheerful sister in Christ who herself suffered a difficult delivery? If your covenant child just broke your heart by turning away from the Lord, whose company would you like to have? A brother whose children are all happy in the Lord, or someone who has suffered deeply due to his children’s departure from the faith and yet found comfort in Christ?
We all know the answer instinctively. We are drawn to those who experienced the pain that we are enduring. We find some consolation knowing that we are not alone in our suffering.
But let us remember that pity parties are not what the apostle is encouraging. How helpful is a pity party amongst those who are suffering if there is no word of hope. This is why, it is not so much what trial we experiencing that is most important. Instead, it is the comfort we experience that matters. Notice how Paul speaks of comforting those who are in “any trouble” with the comfort we have received.
Paul therefore understands that the various trials he is experiencing are preparing him to be a better minister. And he wants us to understand that that is what God is doing in our trials too.
Of course, this is not the only reason why God comforts us in our tribulations, but it is an important one. You see, it is God’s plan for us not only to bear our own burdens, also to bear each other’s burdens. So, one of the means by which Christ comforts us in our tribulation is through fellow believers. Indeed, John speaks of how the love of Christ is perfected in us when we love one another (1 Jn 4:12).
Thus, it is God’s purpose that those of us who experience trials may find comfort and then use our experience of being comforted to comfort others who are going through similar or not so similar kinds of trial. We are, to use a modern phrase, to pass it on.
Conclusion
Brethren and children, are you going through a rough patch in your life? Remember to look to the God of all comfort and to Christ by whom all comforts flow. But at the same time, take heart that the Lord will see you through your present trial because unless He promotes you to glory, it is His will that one day you’ll be able to comfort someone who is going through the same trial.
Today you may feel that no one understands your suffering, but tomorrow someone feeling the same as you do today may thank God for you—that you not only understand what he is going through, but you came out stronger because of the comfort you received from the Lord.
Indeed, as is often the case, it may not just be one person who needs comfort in that day, but many others. You are being prepared for that day. You are being made more Christ-like through your suffering because Christ himself suffered in His earthly ministry that He might be a sympathetic Great High Priest to us.
May this thought encourage you not to give up trusting the Lord and seeking His comfort through your trials. Amen.
—JJ Lim