On Being Comforted and Comforting

“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 may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” –I Corinthians 1:3 -4 (ESV).

Go to the root meaning of the word “comfort” and you find it is from the old Latin prefix com (with or for) and the noun fortis, strength; therefore, com + fortis: with strength.  To give strength, courage and hope is the idea behind comfort.  In writing to the Corinthian church, Paul’s central theme was on the relationship between suffering and the power of the Holy Spirit in the apostle’s life to bring comfort and strength to the believer.  A very important concept Paul proposes is that God who comforts the believer in all his situations, especially where there is affliction and suffering, is so that we, in turn, can be a comfort to others.  The idea is “we have been comforted” and therefore “we know how to lend comfort.”

In recent days I have had an unusual number of telephone calls and messages from persons who are hurting and need to be comforted.  What is my responsibility as I seek to minister to those who are hurting?  Because I have been comforted by others, I in turn am to seek to be God’s instrument for helping others to evaluate their own afflictions and see a way through them.  It is not by special knowledge I have except that ever-present assurance that God comforted me when I needed succor, and now I have the privilege of comforting others. God so often comforted through the ministry of perceptive, loving Christians.  It’s called, according to the words of a popular religious song my youth choir loved to sing several years ago:  “Pass it on!”  If you have received comfort, you in turn are to reach out to comfort others.  This is one important way we spread the love of God and at the same time we assist in relieving burdens that oppress and debilitate.  “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 40:1).

                                                                                                            -Ethelene Dyer Jones