Everything Is Meant For Good

Everything is Meant For Good

Scripture: "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 receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 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

Observation: The disciples are writing this letter to the church in Corinthians. They are trying to convey the message that believers are not alone in their suffering and when we suffer we are able to comfort others as God has comforted us. There is hope in shared comfort and suffering among believers. 

Application: I am in a place of suffering and I am in this place because God is telling me "No". I could focus on the suffering and allow it to overwhelm me in pain or I could allow God to use this experience to bring comfort to others. I need to choose comfort that I would be able to comfort others.

Prayer: Dear God, You see the tears I have cried and the pain I have suffered, yet You have promised to work it out for my good. I pray for the strength to endure and I ask for comfort, for peace, to fill my heart. I ask that You would show me who in my life I could bring comfort to and I ask for the courage to share my story. In Your loving name, Amen. 

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Today I am realizing how much the love we have for others shapes our actions. So many of my actions or inaction the last few weeks have been because of love and I pray tonight for a greater understanding of love, that my love would be a reflection of God's love for me.