How many times can you use the word “comfort” in a sentence? Paul is able to pack a sentence with it five times, and then five more times in the rest of the paragraph (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). In contrast, he uses either the word “affliction” or “suffering” seven times in the same four verses. That’s a lot of suffering and comfort, but what is his point?
Paul says that comfort is not a single use resource we use to soothe a suffering and then dispose of it. Instead, it is to be recycled. All comfort originates with God, but once it has done its job in us, we are to pass it on to others. Oddly, he also says that suffering is to be recycled. Jesus suffered for Paul, Paul suffered for the Corinthians, now he asks them to share in the suffering. For Christians, suffering and comfort go hand in hand passed down to us from Christ. I cannot know his comfort unless I experience his suffering, but I will never endure his suffering without being given his comfort.
Have you been comforted by Christ? Remember to recycle.
“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 affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-7