Don’t Hoard the Blessing

Don’t Hoard the Blessing
written by Chris Baker

Our passage for today is 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (NIV). 

The Apostle Paul describes to us where compassion and comfort truly come from, the heart of God. It is amazing to me that Paul says God comforts us in all our troubles. Did you see that word “all?” That means no matter what you may be going through, however difficult and troubling it may be, the Lord desires to bring comfort. Notice it does not say that He removes us from all trouble. Rather, He brings comfort in the midst of the trouble. This is such an important concept to grasp. The Christian life is not a life free from trouble! We can see this clearly through the life of Christ and the early church. Rather, we see countless testimonies of Christ’s comfort and peace in the midst of difficult circumstances. 

This brings me hope! I am hopeful because I am not the only one facing difficult trials in life. The Word of God shows me countless examples of Gods people facing hard and difficult times. The Word also explains how they navigated through those times and that is with the comfort and peace of Christ. No, the Lord will most likely not remove me from a difficult trial but He does promise to walk through that trial with me! We are not alone! We serve the God of all comfort who knows how to comfort His people. 

Paul says the Lord brings comfort and compassion to us in difficult times, however, that is not the end of the verse. There are two very important words in that text, “so that.” Christ offers us His comfort and compassion “so that” we can offer it to others. The temptation is to hoard the blessing but that is not what we are called to do. 

Paul says we receive His compassion and comfort so that we can offer that same compassion and comfort to others! May we pray for the opportunity to share with others what God has so freely shared with us. May the Lord’s desires become our desires. How will you show the Lord’s compassion to others around you? How will you seek to bring the Lord’s comfort to others who are in a dark place? Could it be the Lord is trying to bless someone through you? Could you be robbing someone of God’s comfort and compassion by hoarding them for yourself? Let us seek to bless others, through the power of His Holy Spirit that is at work within us, with all the Lord has blessed us with! 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).