2Cor 1:8-10 | KingComments | STEP | . Is it really true that the trials and afflictions of one person mean comfort to another? If you ask Paul he would answer with a loud ‘yes’. Now you and I do not have anything to do with the kind of suffering Paul went through. But that is not the most important thing. You need not necessarily endure the same kind of suffering as Paul did in order to empathize with someone. The important thing is that your experience of suffering can be a comfort for another person who also is going through tough times, though his suffering is of a different kind. ‘Shared pain is half pain’ says a proverb. Is this not your experience too? When you encounter something sad you can be absorbed in your grief in a way that you think you are the only person with such a grief and that there is nobody who can understand you. When you think of others who also have a grief, it can do you good (cf. ). You can draw some comfort by that understanding. When a person knows that he is not alone in his grief, it gives him strength and courage to persevere, despite the troubles and worries. You can always share your experience of comfort with someone else. . Paul’s experience of sorrow has to do with his service to the Lord. He experienced much enmity and hatred through his service for the Lord. But he persevered. In each kind of suffering he had a fresh experience of comfort. He was convinced that it was so with the Corinthians too. The golden rule is that the one who has a share in a suffering also has a share in the comfort. This applies to you also. . Now that the situation in Corinth has improved and the errors were confessed, Paul can talk about himself and what he went through and how he felt. One shares his experiences only with those who have genuine interest. Personal difficult experiences are not shared with everyone but only with those in whom you have the confidence that they are sincerely interested in you and that they sympathize with you. It means so much for the other person when you open yourself to him. He understands that you reckon on his sympathy. This gives one a sense of appreciation. Paul considers the Corinthians as his friends by telling them of his suffering and comfort. The troubles he encountered in Asia were not insignificant. We do not know exactly what Paul refers to. Some believe it was the tumult at Ephesus ( ). But then Paul was not terrified, nor was he desperate, but was rather courageous and determined. Whatever the trouble was we understand that it was a trying time for him. . In such circumstances, when there is no more hope, there remains nothing and no one else but God. Only He can then give relief. And that’s what God does too! God allows situations in our lives in which we don’t see a way out. He wants us to learn to trust in Him alone. Psalm 107 describes very pervasively how all the wisdom of man is of no use when storms erupt in life ( ). All that remains is to cry to the Lord and trust in Him. There is another beautiful verse in Psalm 68 which says: “God is to us a God of deliverances; and to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death” ( ). Paul learnt this by experience and you can also. . Paul did not lament the way God dealt with him and the troubles which came to him. He knew how to make an opportunity out of every difficulty to know God better each time. God will use all difficulties in our lives to deliver us from all attempts and efforts on our part to save ourselves or free ourselves from difficulties. God wants us to learn to handover everything to Him and to trust that He is able to make a way out where we see no way out. God wants us to learn Him better and better as the God of salvation and the God of resurrection and of life. Each experience by which we learn to know God in this way equips us to face future challenges in life. God can do one more time what He did before. . If you come across someone with whom God is busy in this way you may pray that God achieves His purpose with him. Paul was happy that the Corinthian believers were praying for him. In his other letters we read how much he appreciates the prayers of believers. He calls it “helping through prayers”. Perhaps you would not say so, but praying for someone is helping him. Prayer is doing work. It is even hard work. That is probably why it happens very little. Paul believed that the prayers will be heard. He saw his life he once despaired of, as something he got back through the prayers of many persons. This is what made him say that his life was a gift of grace which he received from God. What is the result of such answered prayers? Thanksgiving. Many could give thanks to God, for Paul was still alive. As you see Paul is not an individualist who goes his own way as though other believers meant nothing to him. No, all believers including the ones in Corinth were important to him. He knew he needed them. It’s beautiful to see this attitude in this great servant of the Lord. Now read 2 Corinthians 1:6-11 again. Reflection: Did you ever experience the consolation of God? Did you ever share it with others?

‏ 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Comfort for Others

2Cor 1:6. Is it really true that the trials and afflictions of one person mean comfort to another? If you ask Paul he would answer with a loud ‘yes’. Now you and I do not have anything to do with the kind of suffering Paul went through. But that is not the most important thing. You need not necessarily endure the same kind of suffering as Paul did in order to empathize with someone. The important thing is that your experience of suffering can be a comfort for another person who also is going through tough times, though his suffering is of a different kind.

‘Shared pain is half pain’ says a proverb. Is this not your experience too? When you encounter something sad you can be absorbed in your grief in a way that you think you are the only person with such a grief and that there is nobody who can understand you. When you think of others who also have a grief, it can do you good (cf. 1Pet 5:9). You can draw some comfort by that understanding. When a person knows that he is not alone in his grief, it gives him strength and courage to persevere, despite the troubles and worries. You can always share your experience of comfort with someone else.

2Cor 1:7. Paul’s experience of sorrow has to do with his service to the Lord. He experienced much enmity and hatred through his service for the Lord. But he persevered. In each kind of suffering he had a fresh experience of comfort. He was convinced that it was so with the Corinthians too. The golden rule is that the one who has a share in a suffering also has a share in the comfort. This applies to you also.

2Cor 1:8. Now that the situation in Corinth has improved and the errors were confessed, Paul can talk about himself and what he went through and how he felt. One shares his experiences only with those who have genuine interest. Personal difficult experiences are not shared with everyone but only with those in whom you have the confidence that they are sincerely interested in you and that they sympathize with you.

It means so much for the other person when you open yourself to him. He understands that you reckon on his sympathy. This gives one a sense of appreciation. Paul considers the Corinthians as his friends by telling them of his suffering and comfort.

The troubles he encountered in Asia were not insignificant. We do not know exactly what Paul refers to. Some believe it was the tumult at Ephesus (Acts 19:23-31). But then Paul was not terrified, nor was he desperate, but was rather courageous and determined. Whatever the trouble was we understand that it was a trying time for him.

2Cor 1:9. In such circumstances, when there is no more hope, there remains nothing and no one else but God. Only He can then give relief. And that’s what God does too! God allows situations in our lives in which we don’t see a way out. He wants us to learn to trust in Him alone. Psalm 107 describes very pervasively how all the wisdom of man is of no use when storms erupt in life (Psa 107:23-32). All that remains is to cry to the Lord and trust in Him.

There is another beautiful verse in Psalm 68 which says: “God is to us a God of deliverances; and to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death” (Psa 68:20). Paul learnt this by experience and you can also.

2Cor 1:10. Paul did not lament the way God dealt with him and the troubles which came to him. He knew how to make an opportunity out of every difficulty to know God better each time. God will use all difficulties in our lives to deliver us from all attempts and efforts on our part to save ourselves or free ourselves from difficulties. God wants us to learn to handover everything to Him and to trust that He is able to make a way out where we see no way out.

God wants us to learn Him better and better as the God of salvation and the God of resurrection and of life. Each experience by which we learn to know God in this way equips us to face future challenges in life. God can do one more time what He did before.

2Cor 1:11. If you come across someone with whom God is busy in this way you may pray that God achieves His purpose with him. Paul was happy that the Corinthian believers were praying for him. In his other letters we read how much he appreciates the prayers of believers. He calls it “helping through prayers”. Perhaps you would not say so, but praying for someone is helping him. Prayer is doing work. It is even hard work. That is probably why it happens very little.

Paul believed that the prayers will be heard. He saw his life he once despaired of, as something he got back through the prayers of many persons. This is what made him say that his life was a gift of grace which he received from God. What is the result of such answered prayers? Thanksgiving. Many could give thanks to God, for Paul was still alive.

As you see Paul is not an individualist who goes his own way as though other believers meant nothing to him. No, all believers including the ones in Corinth were important to him. He knew he needed them. It’s beautiful to see this attitude in this great servant of the Lord.

Now read 2 Corinthians 1:6-11 again.

Reflection: Did you ever experience the consolation of God? Did you ever share it with others?