2 Corinthians 1:3 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 tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
When I first gave my life to Jesus in 1975, I assumed that the days of hurt and pain were gone forever. I was looking forward to a new life where people would really love me and my life would be free of heartbreak and trials. As the years went by, I realized that following Jesus was not going to insulate me from the hurt and suffering of this world.
I suffered through the loss of my home by wildfire, the death of my wife, Father and Mother within a single year, betrayal by my closest friend and several very serious health issues.
What was different from my former life without Jesus was that in each of my terrible trials since I had come to know the Lord, I was not alone any longer in my suffering. I could feel the Lord’s presence in my Life closer that I had ever experienced Him Before the trial began. It was as if He was holding me close through each day that my heart was breaking, never leaving me throughout the entire ordeal. He comforted me and restored my heart and life and staying close beside me until each period of suffering was concluded.
As the years passed, people who were going through the very same suffering that I had already experienced, were brought into my life. I realized that I was able to comfort each one of these persons, because I knew what they were going through. I understood how they felt and offered my friendship and love to them as they went through their time of grief.
They told me what a comfort it was to know that there was someone in their life who had experienced the same set of circumstances that they were going through. Very often I did not offer them any more than just my love and friendship and stayed close by their side until their suffering was over. That was really all that they needed, a friend who understood and who cared.
When each one of these people came out of their trial, they told me how much it meant to them to have a friend go through the trial with them. The joy and sense of fulfillment that I felt with each one of these persons that I came alongside to comfort, was unbelievable.
It was then that I realized that the reason that the Lord had allowed me to go through all of the trials of my life, was so that I would be able to minister to other people who were also suffering through the very same things. The Lord wanted me to feel the joy of being able to help and encourage someone. He knew what a blessing it would be to me to be able to change someone’s life.
In your walk with Jesus today, perhaps you are in the midst of a great trial. Maybe your heart is aching over something that has recently happened to you. Do you realize that not only will the Lord comfort you in this moment of hurt, but that He is also preparing you for a future moment when someone else will be suffering through a similar set of circumstances. You will be able to help them immensely as you share your story with them. They will be encouraged and find healing and comfort from you loving them and encouraging them through their time of suffering.
He comforts us in our time of suffering, so that we will be able to comfort others and experience what it means to give of ourselves for someone else. This new experience in comforting someone will be one of the greatest joys of your life, if you will take the time to care for and comfort someone who is in need.
Rob Robinson
