In the Word: Sharing in Suffering, Sharing in Comfort

Welcome to Hope Mommies In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be meditating on 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. As we study the truths found in these verses together, we’d love you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you dig into God’s Word each week with us!

“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s suffering, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Corinthians 1:5

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While in the depths of grief, we often feel alone in our suffering. It seems that everyone else is living the life they had planned. It feels like everyone else gets to keep their babies. It’s so isolating to feel like you bring sadness with you everywhere you go. Does anyone else even know this pain? Can anyone else fathom what you’re going through?

If you turn to the Bible (beyond the cliches people will share with you to try to cheer you up), you will quickly see that you are not alone in your suffering. Not only do God’s people in the Bible experience some sort of suffering, Christ himself suffers. Christ suffers through temptation, loss, betrayal, and ultimately through his torture and death on the cross, where He bore all our sin and grief (Isaiah 53:3-5) .

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35

“And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44

As Christ-followers, we are called to bear our own cross and suffer with Jesus (Matthew 16:24). Suffering is a part of life, and it is especially a part of the Christian life (Romans 8:16-18).

But suffering is not all we are promised as Christ-followers; we are also promised His comfort and peace. God does not leave us alone in our suffering. He wraps us in His loving arms and comforts us in real and powerful ways. His Holy Spirit brings us peace that transcends understanding (Philippians 4:7). He gives us His Word that’s full of psalms of lamentation, stories of redemption, promises of heaven, and expressions of His steadfast love. So much comfort can be found in His Word!

God also uses others to comfort us. You can often tell which friends have themselves experienced hardship. They are usually the ones who are willing to sit in the heavy silence with you, pray with you, meet your practical needs, and even share their own stories with you. They show up and they are not afraid to meet you in the suffering. This is because God has given them comfort, which they are, in turn, able to share with you (2 Corinthians 1:3-6). What a gift! You also have this gift to share. We share abundantly in our suffering, and we share abundantly in our comfort!

REFLECT:

1. In what ways have you shared in Christ’s suffering?
2. Think of all the ways you have been comforted, whether emotionally, practically, or spiritually. Write them down. Which ways seem to come directly from the Holy Spirit at work in you and which comforts come from God through other people?
3. Are there any areas where you feel like you need more comfort or peace? Ask God to grant you that comfort and peace, and open your heart to receive it.
4. How can you share the comfort you’ve received with others?

Aimee lives in Auburn, AL with her husband Daniel and son Chet. Aimee is Hope Mom to her beautiful daughter Ginny Hope who was stillborn February 26, 2019. She and Daniel are learning to trust God and move forward in their grief day by day. You can read more at her blog.

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