Giving away joy . . .

Exodus 13; Job 31; Luke 16; 2 Corinthians 1

Compared to many other places in the world, life in North America is relatively comfortable yet it seems this is a nation of complaining.

I’m bothered when I hear myself complain. Aches and mild issues so easily turn me away from more important matters. I do not like trouble, yet as today’s devotional says, “One of the many paradoxes of the Christian life is that the grace of God is most keenly experienced not in the best but in what seem to be the worst of times.” He adds that trouble helps Christians “shift their perspective from the external and temporal to the internal and eternal,” yet so often I forget to think that way. This passage is a good reminder:

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. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:3–9)

First and most striking is that God comforts me when I struggle. He is with me in it, sometimes removes it, but most often He helps me with whatever is needed to get through the difficulty. His reason for this is because He loves me, but also because there are going to be people in my life that need to know the comfort of God and the Lord expects me to share with them how He helped me through similar problems.

Paul writes about his troubles. Mine are not like his. He was severely persecuted for sharing the Gospel. The afflictions I have are more like health issues, losses of various kinds, and the stresses of seemingly unsolvable problems. Yet in those things, I’ve learned the same truth as Paul did. His bottom line is that troubles make us rely on God and not ourselves.

In doing that, I find out the amazing love and power of God. When my sister died, I knew no other comfort. Words like “I’m sorry for your loss” were kind but did not do it. Instead, comfort comes from the truths that are promised by God in Scripture. Focusing on my sister standing before the throne, of her joy made complete, gives me joy.

God gave me a few special surprises that are also comforting. One is the image of her walking through a doorway and waving goodbye to me over her shoulder without turning back. That is so like her and almost makes me laugh.

What I’ve noticed is that telling others about these images of her and of how I know she is in the presence of Jesus has given them comfort too, at least those who know Jesus. Others might think I’m demented, but I don’t care; the power of God is greater than their skepticism.

Paul was also certain of God’s care. He said, “He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” (2 Corinthians 1:10) He knew that God was in charge and that he would be delivered until his life mission was accomplished. His later wrote this:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7–8)

I read this with joy because the trial of losing my best friend did something to my faith in Christ. Not only has it deepened but I am deeply excited for that day when I can see Him face to face. I’ve learned that even the severe trial of this loss has drawn me closer to Jesus.

APPLY: Keep on sharing the comfort of God with others as He shares His comfort with me. Trials are faith-building, not to be resisted and a reason to complain. May the joy God gives me be a gift for others who need it!