2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

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 have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

– 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Devotion

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians a few months after the first letter. Paul felt much better when Titus brought him the good news that the people in Corinth had seen their problems and sins and were willing to repent. In the above text, Paul encourages the Corinthians to extend the comfort of God to those who were suffering for the sake of Christ. This comfort is experienced by believers when they suffer for Jesus’ sake, and it equips them to comfort others who are in trouble.

The Big Question

Have you ever experienced suffering because of your faith in Christ? If so, how did God comfort you during this time period? Are you able to comfort others who are going through difficult times because of their faith in Jesus? How does the Christian experience differ in the United States as compared to the rest of the world?

Close out your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.