The God of Mercies and Comfort

        “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (II Corinthians 1: 3, 4).

        Had we seen Paul at the time he penned this we would be looking at a man  who had every kind of charge against him, weak, dishonored, the preacher of an obscure and fanciful gospel, a visionary, a failure. If he could find in the Lord mercy and comfort under these conditions surely we can.

        Like Paul we often find the Lord’s greatest mercies and our greatest comfort in our jungle of trouble.

        God, in being depicted as the “Father,” is identified thereby as the source of mercy and comfort. He is the “God of all comfort.” It means more than tenderness: it is strength in tenderness, and it is tenderness in strength. It is not a mere palliative, but a curative. It not merely soothes, but heals. Its ministry is not only consolation, but restoration. “Comfort” is “mercy” at work,    

        God is the Father of mercies. The Jews frequently address God in their prayers under the title or character of, “Father of mercies.” The plural number is used partly to show that God is exceeding merciful; He delights in showing mercy.

        The words “all comfort” in this passage come from the ancient Greek word “paraklesis.” The idea behind this word for comfort in the New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy. It has the idea of strengthening, of helping, of making strong. The idea behind this word is communicated by the Latin word for comfort (fortis), which also means “brave.”

        Some people can engage in the pleasures of this world for a time with friends, but they cannot be happy or comfortable with God. Although He declares Himself to be the God of all comfort, they continually complain that they cannot find comfort anywhere; and their sorrowful looks and the doleful tones of their voice show that they are speaking the truth. They are failing to rely on the Lord.

        The Lord comforts us in all our affliction. We are not promised that He will take us out of our suffering, but that He will be right there with us, offering comfort through it all. Note those two words: in and all.

        One purpose in comforting us is that we may comfort others based on our experience and His comfort we experience. It is a “I know how you feel, I felt that way, and I found the Lord as my comforter. He can do the same for you if…” Thus, we become God’s teaching tool. It is His cycle of comfort. Ask yourself what you are doing with the blessings God is giving you.

        Comfort others with the comfort with which you are comforted.