Discovery: The main introductory comments in Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church can be found in vv.3-11. The first thing that he wants the church to understand is the true nature of Christian suffering. Paul clears up any misconception about the Christian life from his own personal experience:
vv. 8-9 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death."
This merely echoes Jesus call to any would-be follower in Luke 9:23-24: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Jesus never promised a life free of difficulties and suffering. The simple and harsh fact is that suffering is an integral part of our Christian discipleship.
The second thing that Paul wants the church to understand however is the true nature of Christian comfort.
v. 3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." Father of compassion... God of all comfort... what a beautiful description of the heart of God.
v. 4 goes on to say this: "who comforts us in all our troubles..." Notice that is says that God's comfort occurs "in" the midst of troubles. It doesn't say that God's comfort delivers us "from" troubles.
Application: The reason why we are "misinformed" about Christian suffering and comfort is because we don't see the connection between the two. Paul makes it clear that they go hand in hand.
v. 5 "For just as the suffering of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
v. 7 "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
Suffering merely points us back in the direction of God and reveals to us our need to depend on Him. v. 9 "Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God."
I know that I can be very hard headed and hard hearted. I have noticed that as I get older, I get more and more upset and frustrated when things don't work out the way that I would like them to. I used to laugh (and judge) my parents or older relatives whenever they would go on and on about how things aren't the way they used to be... I find myself in that same place. At the heart of this complaining attitude is a deeply held belief that things should work out for my benefit. The belief is that this world would be a much better place if people, things, and God himself would just do as I wanted. Thus it is shocking and surprising whenever God allows difficulties and challenges to come my way. It threatens the semblance of control that I have over my life.
But this passage clear points out that the suffering happens for a reason:
It allows me to experience His comfort anew.
It reminds me to depend on Him and not on myself.
It gives me a glimpse into the heart of God and compels to me share this same comfort to others in need.
It is God's way of getting my attention. Hopefully he is getting yours as well.
C.S. Lewis "Problem of Pain:" God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Prayer: Wake me up Lord! Help me see my "sufferings" for what they are. Give me a proper perspective on life in light of world events and yet let me learn from each challenge and difficulty that comes my way.
