“Is their hope? Is healing possible?” I asked my friend. “Yes,” she replied. “It is possible.” I looked into her eyes and I sensed her response was not just empty words. “You know from experience, don’t you,” I remarked. “Yes,” she nodded, “I do.”
Knowing that she had gone through trauma; knowing she had suffered gave her answer credibility. And now, because of the suffering in her past, she was able to bring me comfort; bring me hope that healing is possible. She knew first hand how God can help us through traumatic events in our life. In 2 Corinthians 1:4, Paul wrote about our compassionate God, “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (NIV).”
Our suffering teaches us to reach beyond ourselves and rely on God. It helps us to learn perseverance that deepens our faith in Christ Jesus. It shows others the authenticity of our belief in God and where we put our trust. The suffering we endure also provides hope to those currently suffering. We can tell them because we share the sufferings of Christ, we also share in the comfort that abounds through Christ.
The struggles we go through in life can deepen our faith and reliance on Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:9 that struggles cause us to “not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” But it is the aspect of bringing comfort to those who are struggling that helps to deepen the bond between us and other Christians. In verse 7, Paul told the Corinthians, “just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”
As a community of believers we should be united in our suffering and our joy, giving praise to God for both. Paul reminded us in verses 10-11, “On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”
#Retrospective: This post first published November 27, 2018.
© 2018 CGThelen
140 Character Christian 
Amen! As believers, our faith shares hope with others. God raises joy at the end of darkness.
Well said. May we continue to experience the joy of the Lord. May the light of Jesus illuminate our darkest days. Blessings.
“Our suffering teaches us to reach beyond ourselves and rely on God. “
🙏Heavenly Father: thank you for this thorn.
The thorns are still painful and hurt. May God give us the wisdom we need to reach out to Him in our pain. Thanks for the comment. Blessings.
It is a great mystery… after 42 years of His grace I am more mystified than ever!
We can share His truths by loving His Word, but we can only share Him by walking in His Way.
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…”
To truly know Him we must walk with Him. The pathway to knowing is the path of identification. Suffering deepens the bonds of brotherhood.
Blessings
Brian
Well said. Thanks for the comment.
One of the awesome mysteries of God: He uses PEOPLE to spread His Word, bless others, provide His comfort, share His love!
I continue to be amazed by the way he uses people to share his Word. We serve an amazing God. Thanks for the comment.