2 Corinthians 1. The Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Cor 1:3) – this is the character of our God. Life can be difficult, full of suffering. The Bible does not pretend that everything will always be rosy. In fact, it does just the opposite – warning us in advance that difficult times will come and giving us a picture of the goodness of God and truths and hope we will desperately cling to in seasons of suffering.

The Apostle Paul had some rough times. We don’t know exactly what the affliction we experienced in Asia was, but it was really challenging. Paul writes, we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death (1:8-9). Have you ever experienced this kind of struggle? The kind where you are just done with life, and it seems impossible (or undesirable) to go on living? That is what Paul had been going through.

Yet Paul says several things happened in that awful situation. He says that, because of the suffering, they learned to rely not on themselves but on God who raises the dead (1:9). Paul knew that God was the only true source of comfort, the only one able to deliver them – and so Paul turned and relied on God and God alone. And guess what? Paul had full confidence in God’s ability to show up – God delivered them from such a deadly peril, and God will deliver us (1:10).

Paul also called upon the church in Corinth to pray, writing you must help us by prayer (1:11). Somehow, in the economy of God, praying for others in their suffering releases the power of God into a situation. It is something we are called to do, something we must do, something we are privileged to do!

Finally, Paul notes that God comforts us in afflictions so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (1:4). When you survive a challenging season and you arrive on the other side – knowing the God helped you, delivered you, and comforted you – it is your turn to encourage and support others. We are called to pray for those who are struggling, and to share the comfort and hope we have found in God in our own difficult seasons.

No one escapes hardship and struggles in life; we all have seasons of difficulty. In those times, let us turn to God for deliverance and comfort, let us pray for others in their seasons, and let us take what we have learned and share it to encourage others.

Think of a season in your life when you had struggles. What did you learn about God? How did He deliver you? Ask God to show you people in your circle that you can pray for; people that you can encourage and comfort with the comfort you received from God.