With the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. ⁶ But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; ⁷ and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; ⁹  indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, ¹¹ you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

Paul opens this letter to the believers at Corinth, and to us, with an interesting statement, one that certainly has an application for us today. Verses 3 and 4 say:  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 will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  Isaiah 53:5, speaking prophetically of Jesus paying the price for our sins says:

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.   2 Peter 2:23-24 confirms this saying: and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Jesus not only paid the price for sin, but also through His wounds, (by His stripes) we are healed. There is healing and restoration for those who believe in Christ. That includes spiritual healing, emotional healing and physical healing. What Paul says here is that we, in the same way, can offer both comfort and healing to others because of the comfort and healing we have received through Christ. It is often in the areas we ourselves have suffered that we will be able to minister to others. Those who have experienced emotional or physical abuse and found healing, comfort, peace and forgiveness through Christ can share that healing with others, through testimony, friendship and ministry. The same is true for those who have experienced grief of the loss of a spouse or child and found comfort in God. Likewise for those who have walked through certain illnesses and have been healed or found the peace and grace to continue walking with God.

What is critical to this though is that we minister out of our healing and comfort in God. Far too often people minister out of their hurt and wounds. Paul says: “But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort” We need to look at the things which we have experienced and overcome as opportunities to share the power of Christ with others. But we must be certain that we have first been healed spiritually and emotionally ourselves. In 1 Corinthians 5:6, Paul speaks of the ability of sin to spread. He says: Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?      The same thing is true if we minister out of our hurts and wounds. We spread more hurt and wounds, rather than the healing of Christ. The same thing happens when we believe we can minister out of unrepentant sin. Just as we may be more compassionate to others who are experiencing things we have experienced, we tend to be more tolerant of others sin if it is the same one we hold onto.

The church has suffered far too much from those who minister from a place of hurt or unrepentant sin, to the point where often those outside will not turn to the church because of the lack of health that they see within. Jesus says:

 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)  We can only be that light to others when we have first allowed the light to expose the darkness within us. Just as we can only minister the comfort, peace and healing of God as we ourselves have been healed and comforted.

Just as Paul prayed for the believers at Corinth, I pray for you today.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 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 will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  

In Matthew 10:5-8, Jesus, when He sent out the disciples sent them saying:  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.   Amen