Mercy and Comfort

The first chapter of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians has a great deal to teach us about the comfort and encouragement He gives to His saints, especially in relation to afflictions.  The first thing to notice is that God is referred to as “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.”  This tells us that the source of all the comfort and consolation God gives us is His mercy.  We never merit it or deserve it.  The comfort of God is the strengthening of our hearts when we weakened by doubts, fears, and sorrows. Though all else fails, God’s mercy will always prove to be a fountain of life and strength. 

In verse 5 of this chapter we see that as our afflictions increase, so also God makes available to us a greater amount of comfort.  What mercy!  The Lord reserves the greatest comforts of His Spirit for our times of greatest need.  Thomas Manton wrote, “He that lives in a cottage, is happier than he that lives in a palace, if he has (God’s) comfort there.”  Paul informed the Corinthians of the great afflictions he was having to endure (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).  He wanted them to know that the burden of his sufferings was so heavy that he “despaired even of life.”  But even in such desperate straits, God had a good purpose.  Our pride and self-dependence are deeply rooted in our nature, and are not easily relinquished.  The Lord was working to deliver Paul from this dependence on himself, that he might learn a more profound, more sincere trust in God.