Comfort and Affliction

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

It’s an interesting way to start a letter, and yet this is essentially how Paul begins his second letter to the church at Corinth. After a brief, three verse greeting, Paul launches into a prayer of thanksgiving and worship to God that focuses on the theme of comfort in the midst of affliction.

Paul isn’t the only biblical author to address this idea, and it’s certainly not unique to the New Testament. We read of it over and over in Psalms (34:19, 119:50, 119:67, 119:71, and 119:92 among others) and Isaiah (48, 53). We see it in the stories of barrenness and slavery, exile and idolatry. God’s people are a suffering people. An afflicted people. 

Sometimes it’s self-inflicted- a consequence of sin. At other times it’s a result of life in a fallen, broken world.

How can we tell? How should we respond?

I recommend reading Tony Reinke’s thoughtful article on suffering, affliction, and a right response. Find it here:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sin-cause-suffering/

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.