God Who Comforts

Afflictions and trials in life can have a dramatic and dismal impact on our lives. They can leave us feeling hopeless, in despair, and depressed. Our comfort is troubled and our confidence can erode away. Yet, in the midst of our weariness from affliction and trial, God supplies heaven’s provisions to our soul. In looking at 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 here at Emmanuel Baptist Church on Sunday mornings we have discovered that God supplies comfort and confidence to His weary, worn, and afflicted children. I don’t know what you think about when you consider God as your provider. Perhaps, you might think God will provide my physical needs and He certainly does. However, I encourage you to consider how God supplies his unique provision of comfort to our emotional and spiritual need in the midst of our trouble and affliction. God is truly the One who supplies His abundant provision to our deepest need in our deepest and darkest valleys. I remember a time in the Old Testament when God’s people were led out of captivity in Egypt. They escaped from the evil and tyrannical reign of the Egyptian Pharaoh. They crossed the Red Sea on dry ground while Pharaoh’s army was drowned in the deep. This was a magnificent time in the life of God’s people. They were finally free and had just experienced one of the greatest acts of God’s deliverance. The level of excitement and joy would have been unsurpassed. Yet, just three days journey into the wilderness, they were met with trouble and affliction. They did not have good water to drink. The water at Marah was bitter and unable to be consumed. Their journey was turned from joy to tribulation and frustration. They grumbled against God’s leader. Then, they did not have anything to eat. Yet again, they grumbled against Moses. However, in both cases their trouble and affliction was met with God’s heavenly provision. The water was turned from bitter to sweet. The Lord supplied them with quail and heavenly manna. God truly is the supplier of our needs in the midst of this journey called life. Consider what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “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 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. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” May God supply you with His heavenly provision called comfort in the midst of your weary journey. God Bless and have a great week.