Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
The comfort God offers is not a gentle pat on the back that leaves you sitting still. It is a strengthening, forward-moving grace that equips you to walk through hardship and then reach back for others who are struggling behind you. Paul knew pressure that felt like a sentence of death, yet he testifies that God delivered him, is delivering him, and will deliver him again. That threefold confidence is available to you today. Whatever you have walked through was never wasted in God's economy. He uses your suffering to deepen your faith, and He uses your testimony to bring comfort and courage to someone who desperately needs it.
Reflection Question: How has God brought you through a past hardship in a way that you could now use to encourage someone else who is in the middle of that same struggle?
Practical Application: Pray specifically for two or three people you know who are in a season of suffering. Consider writing them a note or making a call this week to let them know they are being held up in prayer.
