Test lessons: true comfort

Test lessons: true comfort   2 Cor 1: 3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our tribulations, so that we may also comfort those in any tribulation, through the consolation with which we are comforted by God. God gives comfort to us very often in trials, so that we can comfort others. The nation of Ireland is known as the "Emerald Island" for good reason, it contains some of the greenest landscapes of any place on earth. When I visited it, I noticed that the abundant fog and mist, which usually covers the landscape, helps produce green grass and trees. That phenomenon is very similar to the Christian life. Many times when our life is obscured by the sufferings and pains of trials, it has a refreshing soul beauty that cannot always be seen. As the life of the apostle Paul shows, sensitive and merciful hearts are the product of great trials. Difficulties harass us so that God can give us much comfort. But such comfort is not only for our benefit. The Lord entrusts us with His comfort so that we can share it with others, as verse 4 of today's passage indicates. And He comforts us in direct proportion to the number of trials we have endured, which means that the more we suffer, the more God comforts us, and the more it comforts us the more we can comfort those who suffer. When we experience true comfort at the beginning of a trial, perhaps the most precious result is the sense of Christian belonging we feel. If God's comfort helps us to comfort others, then it is clear that other believers are positively affected by what we learn from our trials. The whole process elevates us beyond ourselves and shows us that as part of a local community or as part of the great Body of Christ, we are not alone and do not have to undergo various meaningless tests. The comfort we receive and the sense of belonging that results is a great incentive for any of us to be encouraged through trials and sufferings, knowing that such experiences enable us to minister as integral parts of the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12 : 26, 2Cor 1: 6-7) By John MacArthur