August 26, 2016
No one but God could put all of our problems and afflictions in perspective in two words. But, the sovereign Lord uses His apostle Paul to learn and pen this incredible truth for us. A truth that gives meaning to everything difficult in our lives.
"...who comforts us in all our affliction SO THAT we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:4)
"...we had the sentence of death within ourselves SO THAT we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope." (2 Corinthians 1:9-10)
"So that" indicates cause, effect, and purpose. “This happened so that this could happen.” In this case, Paul addresses his own problems and the ironic, spiritual results of difficulty. And in so doing, he gives us an incredibly helpful theology of suffering.
CRUSHING PRESSURE
... is what the word “affliction” means and is what we experience. We all have it and see the results of his heavy weight. These are the things we lay in bed and think about. The stress that ties up our soul. The things that tempt us to worry and fear. That we can't seem to shake.
Sometimes they are huge, cataclysmic things, but often a series of piranhas that incessantly nibble away our peace.
For a wise follower of Christ, when crushing pressure comes, it drives us to …
TRUST
The pressure became so great in Paul that there was nowhere else to turn. He "despaired even of life." But Paul’s view of its purpose was different than most. This difficulty, Paul said, came SO THAT "we would not trust in ourselves, but in God."
We often will not trust until we come to this point. At the end of ourselves we turn in absolute dependency and expectancy to Christ. This is faith and faith is what life is all about. Being pushed back into the arms of our Father is the greatest possible position.
And when we lean into Him we find ...
COMFORT
We think of a recliner. But the word Paul uses is “paraklesis” and it means to “come alongside and lift the load.” When we are under the weight of crushing issues, God comes alongside and lifts the load in supernatural ways, if we will trust Him. We discover His presence, power, and provision in ways we would never know otherwise.
And to our amazement, with ever-increasing pressure, we find this Divine lift is always sufficient. "For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”
But there is more and here is where purpose is realized. This sufficient, wonderful comfort equips us to ...
COMFORT OTHERS
... with the "comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (Vs. 4).
We are now prepared to help people in ways we were never equipped before. We have known the pressure and the supernatural help of God. Now we can relate to those who are in the same difficulties and be instruments of the Spirit that bring them the same help.
Our sorrows are not wasted! What the world, flesh, and devil throws at us cannot harm us, but strengthens and equips us if we will not trust in ourselves, but God.
As the days and years roll by, we realize with growing amazement those very pressures are the gateway to our greatest ministry. And ministry to God and others is what the few, remaining years of our life are all about as we prepare for a pressureless eternity.
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