By Dr. Jim Barnette
Professor, Samford University
Senior Pastor, Brookwood Baptist Church
Where Does Comfort Come From?
2 Corinthians 1:3–11
God is the source of comfort. (3–4a)
Paul knew suffering and the discouragement and despair that can accompany it. In verse 8, he acknowledges that at a critical point he and his associates “despaired of life itself.” Later in this letter, Paul offers a resumé of suffering he had endured: stoned, beaten, flogged, shipwrecked and left for dead.
Some scholars suggest that on occasion the apostle also struggled with internal issues of depression and anxiety. But Paul never gave in. He always triumphed over multitude setbacks. Why? In part this was due to the comfort he received from his brothers and sisters in Christ. But more significantly, it was due to the comfort he received from Christ Himself.
Paul uses forms of the word “comfort” 10 times in verses 3–10, and 14 times in the remainder of the letter. “Comfort” in the Bible has more to do with strengthening than soothing. It is not so much like the pacifying effect of comfort food. In the New Testament, comfort does not just relieve our pain, it stiffens our resolve.
Even the English word supports this meaning. The latter part of the word comes from the Latin root from where we get words like forte, fortress and fortitude. Put simply, comfort is not about feeling better; it is about feeling stronger.
We are called to be channels of God’s comfort. (4b–7)
The second part of verse 4 offers one of the blessings of God’s comfort towards us: “so that.” God has comforted us so that we might comfort others. The great preacher and expositor John Henry Jowett once noted that “God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.” Of course, the challenge is for us to get beyond ourselves and recognize the needs of others who are suffering.
Someone has said when we focus on ourselves, we become cisterns instead of channels. The God of comfort desires that we follow His way of being channels of grace and comfort for those who are weak or hurting. Because God has encouraged us, we can encourage them.
Verse 5 assures us that as we suffer because of our witness for Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. Just as where sin abounds, grace abounds the more (Rom. 5:20), when our suffering for Jesus abounds, the more we are strengthened and empowered.
What powerful witnesses we can be when our struggles give us greater capacity to comfort others. Henri Nouwen described this blessing as our becoming “wounded healers” for those who need comfort.
The prayers of God’s people help those who suffer. (8–11)
Paul mentions an “affliction” that he and his associates experienced in Asia, which likely included being imprisoned and the possibility of being condemned to death. Here again, Paul is not reflecting on human suffering in general (bereavement, accident, family conflict), but suffering that comes because of one’s commitment to Christ and Christian missions.
Paul goes on to his relying on the God “Who raises the dead.” Paul had worried he might die a misunderstood condemned prisoner. But then he realized the meaning of God’s act in raising Jesus — who had been killed as a misunderstood condemned prisoner. The resurrection gives hope to all who stand firm in their faith in the misunderstood Nazarene who died and rose so that whosoever believes in Him might have eternal life with Him.
Paul’s trials and dangers are yet to be over, so he asks the Corinthians to help by praying for him. When those prayers are answered they will be able to share in a great thanksgiving. God can use us to strengthen one another, both for our benefit and to His own greater glory. May we realize the power of ministering as wounded healers for our brothers and sisters as together we press on in the pilgrimage of faith.
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