Comforted to comfort. Helped to help.
That is a good-and very valid-mantra to live by. No lesson learned should ever be wasted. Please listen to these words. Read them slowly and thoughtfully:
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our suffering, you will also share in the comfort God give us. 2 Cor. 1:3-7 (NLT)
The gist of that passage is Paul telling the Corinthians “what we have been comforted with, we will comfort you.”
No lesson learned should ever be wasted or discarded. Big or little. Seemingly insignificant or hugely life-changing. Heart-wrenching or just heart-touching. As we have been comforted, we must pass on that same comfort.
Nothing learned, no comfort experienced, should EVER be kept to ourselves. So…open your eyes and look around and start asking yourself, “Who can I help today?” Then…comfort away!!
Amen, and amen, again! With the comfort we’ve been given through Jesus, may we always be ready to comfort others in times of trouble.
Blessings, Bill!
Thanks for the confirmation Martha. 🙂 I totally agree with your words
I have been thinking a lot about comfort recently. Primarily around how I personally and I don’t think I would be stepping out of line, but perhaps stepping on some toes… if I were to call out most Christians… self definitely included… that we tend to be a comfort seeking society. The problem is that we seek the world’s comforts as a substitute to God’s Spiritual Peace which I think is what is being offered in this passage. My prayer is that through my worldly discomfort, God provides the spiritual and soulful resilience to endure and embrace the growth that can come (provided I allow for it) and through that growth can live a life that leads others to the spiritual comfort God will provide If we (I) truly embrace our loving Father
You aren’t stepping out of line at all Ryan. I agree that we tend to be a comfort seeking society. We like the ease, the easy way of life. That can also be seen in the modern day teaching of the health/wealth gospel. Give me the easy way, the “rewarding” way, i.e. the worldly way.
Absolutely! It is how we can relate to one another and share the gospel! If we tell others how Jesus has helped us, they can find that same comfort!
The old adage comes to mind, Pam: “They won’t care how much we know until they know how much we care.”
Totally agree with the post and the comments above. We are called as Christ followers to walk along people in need, and to provide comfort and care, and that often takes us out of our comfort zone. Father help us to look around and see those in need, and to open our hearts to Your prompting to reach out and serve. In Acts the early church gave us great examples of how to care for those around us, and to put serving above our own needs. The early church was not a covert christian community. Tony Evans asks the question, if someone wanted to convict you as a christian, what evidence could they use to prove that claim.
Good point Gail and love that question and statement by Tony. Thanks for sharing that.