Comfort

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."  2 Corinthians 1:3, 4

When we go through periods of difficulty, we need to see the hand of God at work in our lives. What God allows is for our good and his glory.  God is glorified through our difficulties when we share with others the comfort we have received from Him during those times of difficulty. People need to now that no matter what happens in their lives, they are not alone, not without resources and more importantly not comfortless. God's comfort is not an end in itself nor is it limited to any specific circumstance. We are to be channels of blessing to others in their times of difficulty.  We are selflessly to share what we have received from God.

Note the limitlessness of these words of instruction. First, there is no restriction as to whom we are to be channels of blessing. Second, there is no restriction as to the circumstances of a person's circumstance ["in any tribulation"] in which we are called to enter as comforters. Finally there isn't any limit on the ability comfort for it is not from man but from God through us. God is the God of "all" comfort, not some or most comfort.

God comforts us in our times of comfort so that when we reach out to others it isn't theory learned from a book but reality experienced while we lived in the trenches. "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters." [Mrs. Charles E. Cowman]

Take a few minutes and write down they ways God has comforted you in your times of difficulty and then find someone you can be a comfort to in their time of difficulty. This not for an overt aggressive, preachy approach to someone in need. It's a matter of making oneself quietly available to others in their time of need. You too can glorify God by the way you use the comfort God has given to you.