Read 2 Corinthians 1-7
I’m impressed with the joy and positive attitude with which Paul writes to the church in Corinth. He has already written a letter of correction to the Corinthians “out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears to let them know the depth of his love for them” and now he is addressing them a second time. Even after ”enduring troubles, hardships and distresses, in beatings, imprisonments and riots, in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger,” etc., Paul praises God, “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (II Corinthians 1:3-4)
Have you every wondered why God allows suffering in the world? Why does He allow so much cancer in one out of three people? Why does He heal some here on this earth, while others are completely healed by leaving this earth and getting a heavenly body? Oh the pain of losing a loved one! It’s so hard to let go.
When stories are told of a woman suffering from pancreatic cancer, who is able to come alongside and minster to someone newly diagnosed, the prayers of many are answered. If we are believers, we have faith in II Corinthians 1:9-10: “…But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead……On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. “
What a privilege it is to pray for “the God of all comfort” to comfort our loved ones in their time of trouble. II Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Where are your eyes fixed?
- Carolyn Clifton serves as the Compassion Ministry Leader at Adventure Church
