2 Corinthians 1 Lesson

SUFFERING AND COMFORT

In today’s lesson, we will be talking about the related topics of suffering and comfort.  

You may be asking yourself, “How are suffering and comfort related?”

The answer to that question can be found in the following Bible verse taken from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians:

• “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” - 2 Corinthians 1:5.

Based on the above scripture, followers of Jesus can expect two things:

1. To suffer,
2. To be comforted.  

As you study 2 Corinthians, notice how Paul reveals his human side in discussing all the suffering he has endured, and how he defends his reputation.  

In the following scripture, Paul compares himself to others who are boasting about their service to the Lord:

• “Are they servants of Christ? —I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, oftenin danger of death.  Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.  I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in coldand exposure.  Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.” – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.

The Apostle Paul’s Sufferings

Yes, the Apostle Paul suffered many things in his service to the Lord, including:

1. Imprisonment,
2. Beatings,
3. Being shipwrecked,
4. Sleepless nights,
5. Hunger,
6. Thirst,
7. Being subjected to harsh weather,
8. The daily pressure of the concern he felt for all the churches.  

KEEPING SUFFERING IN ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE

Being a Christian comes with its challenges.  

In reading the scriptures, we understand that suffering and persecution are going to happen. 

Paul tells us about this in his second letter to Timothy:

• “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” – 2 Timothy 3:12.

As we live our lives for the Lord, we need to reflect on God’s word, to keep our suffering in its proper perspective. 

We need to read and understand scriptures like these two:

1. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” – Romans 8:18,
2. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” – Galatians 6:9.

Whatever suffering we experience on Earth will be nothing compared to the glory that awaits the faithful followers of Jesus!!

Heaven is forever!!  

Pain is temporary.

God allows us to be tested, just as He did Jesus and the apostles.

God also disciplines those that He loves (Hebrews 12:6).  

Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:

• “But we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5.

COMFORT

As we have read, suffering is part of life for the Christian. 

That is the bad news.

The good news is, so is comfort!

As you read the following verse, try to think of a time when God comforted you. 

• “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.” –2 Corinthians 1:3.

In this verse, Paul refers to God as:

1. The Father of mercies,
2. The God of all comfort.

These verses tell us that God’s mercy and comfort are greater than any other!

Google Dictionarydefines mercy as, “Compassionor forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm."

If we take into consideration what we have studied so far in today’s lesson, we come to the following two conclusions:

1. God will not stop us from going throughadversity.  He uses the tough times in life to teach us, to discipline us, and to shape us into the people that He created us to be.  Suffering is an important part of being a Christian.  God did not spare Jesus from suffering.  He did not spare the Apostles.  So why would we think that He would spare us?  One thing is for certain, we can expect to suffer in this lifetime. That is because Satan is the ruler of the Earth, as we can read about in the following four scriptures (1 John 5:19, 2 Corinthians 4:4, John 12:31, and John 14:30),
2. As “The God of All Comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3),God can ease or eliminate our feelings of grief and distress.  The Apostle Paul talks about, “The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,” (Philippians 4:7).  In other words, God can provide a feeling of peacethat is indescribable.  A pure and complete form of peace that we have never experienced before.  Those of us that have experienced this peace, understand what Paul was writing about. Yes, even in times of suffering, our God is the God of all comfort!

CONCLUSION

Suffering and comfort are related in that, through Christ, we will experience them both. 

The Bible tells us that not only will we have suffering and comfort in our lives, we will have them in abundance!

• “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” - 2 Corinthians 1:5.

Sometimes, it is a challenge for our human brains to try and comprehend how we can be suffering and comforted at the same time. 

That is the power of the almighty God! 

That is the peace that passes all understanding!

We will end today’s lesson with the following scripture that talks about how we have both peace and tribulation in the world:

• “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33.