2 Cor 1:3-7 reminds us that God is the ‘Father of compassion and God of all comfort.’ Comfort means the easing of pain or constraint or the alleviation of distress or anguish. At different stages of our lives, it’s represented by different things: a dummy to a baby, a soft toy or comfort blanket to a toddler (think of Linus, Charlie Brown’s friend), painkillers when we’re in pain, comfort food when we are down.
God’s comfort is so much more than these things and is motivated by His heart of compassion. Compassion means to suffer with, to enter into the sufferings of another. Jesus is described as the Suffering Servant: ‘a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.’ (Is 53:3) Compassion is an integral part of His nature (Is 49:15-16, Ps 86:15, Neh 9:19) He redeems us and crowns us with love and compassion (Ps 103:4), is full of compassion (Ps 116:5) and His compassions never fail (Lam 3:22). He is both mother and father to us (Ps 103:13-14, Is 66:13). He knows our sorrows, for Jesus Himself has suffered (see Heb 2:10, 17-18) and He is therefore able to come alongside us in our suffering (the Holy Spirit is described as our Comforter): as the Message version of 2 Cor 1:4 says ‘He comes alongside us when we go through hard times.’ Sometimes the chief comfort (consolation, help) which God gives us is His very presence with us (see (Is 43:1-3), as the disciples found on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24.)
God’s comfort overflows into our lives so that we too are then able to comfort others with the same comfort we have received. Often, when we face trials and difficulties, we feel alone and isolated, bereft of any sense of God’s love or mercy, but others remind us of eternal truths and stand with us in practical ways, reminding us of the hope we have in Christ. The enemy wants us to despair and give up, but God uses others to come alongside us because we often need that personal demonstration of love and faithfulness. Though we go through many experiences in life we would rather avoid, God uses these to give us empathy and compassion to help others in their distress. God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Cor 10:13), but gives us all the help and comfort we need.
God’s comfort is one reason we can rejoice (see Is 49:13). He will not let us fall, but will carry us through the trials and help us in every area of our lives.