“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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 receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The ways in which we respond to hardships are as numerous as the types of hardships themselves. We can feel fear, anger, self-pity, aggression, despair, abusive behavior, apathy, denial, and the list goes on. But one of the easiest responses to have, unfortunately, is one to question God. 

Paul encouraged a group of believers in a town called Corinth who were experiencing hardships. He reminded them that afflictions were inevitable for the followers of Jesus. Many were being persecuted, imprisoned, and oppressed — all because of their relationship with Jesus. Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that in the midst of their trouble God was their source of help. He would come to their side and help them to have godly responses. Then Paul gave one of the reasons God allowed suffering and brought divine comfort — so that the Corinthians might have the empathy to enter into other people’s sorrow and comfort them.

When we suffer, let us remember that God will bring comfort to us through His Word, by the Holy Spirit, and through fellow believers. God does not comfort us so that we’ll be comfortable; we are comforted by God so that we might be comforters.