How To Comfort Others

Comfort Received and Given

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

“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 have received.” (verse 3)

Showing comfort to others sounds easy, right? It is hard enough to identify the physical, psychological or spiritual needs of another but to comfort them … well that is far from easy! Too often we respond to the needs of others by feeling “pity” for them while we pass them by on the other side of their road! Our indifference is not born out of unfamiliarity, for most of us have personally experienced plenty of suffering in our lives, but out of selfishness, ignorance or lack of courage we simply feel incapable of seeing our walking a mile in a sufferers shoes as being an honor and not a heavy burden! While advice is somewhat easy to give without sacrificial, loving action it becomes like pity poured into wounds of affliction! We as Christ’s ambassadors are called and have been prepared to love one another not just in words but also in deeds. When a man/woman of God have endured the assaults of this world, the flesh, devil, sicknesses and numerous financial and social tribulations and yet joyfully cry out “blessed be the name of the Lord,” such a person has been refined and dare I suggest prepared to be a messenger of comfort for others. The following sermon is going to explore 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 in hopes that with the comfort we have received from God we might offer it to others so that they too might praise God in all of life’s circumstances!

Knowing the Sources of Tribulations

Before we strap on the amour of God and attempt to comfort another one must first understand the sources of tribulations we are going to face. Jesus told us that before we became saved, we had to be willing to give up everything to become His disciple (Luke 14:25-35)! To minister in this alien, fallen world Spurgeon says we must look upward, downward, around and within to understand four key reasons why the sufferings of Christ abound within His own. When we look upward do we not tremble a little for to become more like the sinless, Lamb of God will require much time in the crucible of suffering and affliction! And when we look downward do we not see the fierce anger of Satan who in loosing the battle for our soul is now thirsty to devour and break the backs of our joyful ministry with intense pain? And when we look around this alien world are not most willing to persecute us due to the light shining within us exposes their darkness and futile ways of living? And finally if we look within at our deceitful hearts (Jeremiah 17:9) that are “bomb-shells ready to burst at the slightest spark of temptation” it is no surprise that some of our suffering is discipline by a loving God who merely wants us to conform to His likeness! If we want to comfort others, then strap on the amour of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) and get ready to participate in the sufferings of Christ as promised by Him (Romans 8:27)!

Dealing with our Murmuring Hearts

Before we can comfort another, we must first stop reminiscing and spewing the muck of our defeatist attitude amongst any who will listen! One would think that nothing would shake the faith of those who saw first-hand God’s might and power of the Ten Plagues (Exodus 7-11) that delivered them from their enemies and yet despite plundering Egypt (12:36) God’s children murmured even when God provided manna, quail and water (16-17)! Often, we make our troubles far greater by turning them over repeatedly, weighing, thinking and meditating on the best way to escape. And when we are not thinking about current tribulations we tend to fret and drown in the sorrow of afflictions yet to be realized! A murmuring soul is truly a rebellious soul for in chewing on the dung hills of our affliction we often forget the sweet taste of the King’s impregnatable armour that can catch the fiercest of Satan’s arrows of affliction! What must unbelievers think that in sharing in their furnaces of tribulations we too share in their fear, despair and sense of doom? Are not murmurings music to Satan’s ears but unshakeable faith as living, sacrifices a pleasing aroma unto God?

Rejoicing in Tribulations

If we are to comfort others, then we must first learn how to find joy in our afflictions. Since tribulations are promised to aliens living in a hostile environment against God’s people, it is not escape but perseverance and love under the wings of our Father that is the source of all comfort! Instead of reminiscing and throwing a pity party when witnessing to others tell them how in the depths of your pain that you have been more than compensated by personally experiencing how “wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18) in your life! I would rather walk a thousand miles in tribulations arm and arm with my Savior than spend a single day of earthly, carnal pleasure without Him by my side! Those who bow their knee and rejoice in their afflictions bring honor to God because their testimony is clear … take my life and let it be consecrated Lord unto thee! Rejoicing in tribulations is the key to being content in all situations (Philippians 4:11) for steadfast faith that His ways and thoughts are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9) opens the door to sacrificial obedience which magnifies His name and our attitude of thanksgiving! Nothing keeps our heads above the waters of trouble better than crying, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”