“We must face the hard truth that no-one loves well who hasn’t suffered.”
Larry Crabb
“Praise be to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,” writes Paul to the Corinthians, “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.” It’s a bit of a mouthful, and Paul certainly wouldn’t get a good mark in any writing class (far too many ‘comforts’), but hopefully you get his point.
In case you don’t, it’s this: suffering isn’t all about you. One of the tricks that suffering plays on our mind is to make us even more self-focused; we struggle to see beyond our own painful situation. God, however, has His own tricks, and one of them is to turn suffering on its head by making it about how we can help others. Tell me, do you think the Enemy likes it when God disarms his great weapons so completely? Suffering equips you to love in a way that a life free from unpleasantness doesn’t.
“For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives,” Paul continues, “so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” If your goal is a life free from suffering then don’t bother with Jesus – he’ll just get in your way. If, however, your goal is a meaningful life then realise that suffering is not just part of the journey, but a key part of the process, and one you are not alone in. Don’t get distracted. Offer your experiences to those around you who are troubled. In this way suffering can be turned into comfort.
