Whipped to the full extent of the law. 

Beaten with a rod. 

Stoned. 

Shipwrecked. 

In constant danger. 

Hungry. 

Thirsty. 

Deprived of sleep. 

The Apostle Paul knew about suffering. And his afflictions didn’t even end with this list. Nearly every city he visited ran him out of town or threw him in jail. Eventually he would be beheaded at the hands of Roman Emperor Nero. 

Suffering, persecution, affliction—whatever name you give it, Paul knew about it. You might think that he was perpetually discouraged. Were Paul’s experiences my own, I no doubt would be. Instead, he encourages the Corinthian church and tells them about the comfort he has received. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)

The God of All Comfort

The first link in the chain of comfort is not treatment, medication, technique, retreat, or method. The source of comfort is a Person. All of the comfort and relief that can come through medications, treatments, or retreats ultimately originates from one Source: God Himself. In His common grace, He comforts us—sometimes through other people, sometimes through time away, sometimes even through a prescription. However, all of these things can give only derived comfort. And some only numb the pain, failing to offer genuine comfort. They’re just imitations of true comfort, which only God can give. 

Trouble starts when we see these imitators as sources of true comfort. This faulty thinking inevitably leads to idol worship.

In order to tell if you’ve followed a false source of comfort into idolatry, track your emotions. What upsets you? What gives you joy? If you sin—by getting angry, for instance—because your comfort is withheld, you’ve fallen into idolatry. If you sin—by deceit, for instance—in order to get your comfort, you’ve made a god out of your comfort. 

We must take our cue from the psalmists and run to the Source Himself for authentic comfort: 

God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.
I thirst for you;
my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.

My lips will glorify you
because your faithful love is better than life. (Psalm 63:1–3)

Who do I have in heaven but you?
And I desire nothing on earth but you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. . . .
But as for me, God’s presence is my good.
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
so I can tell about all you do. (Psalm 73:25–26, 28)

That We May Comfort

The beautiful thing about comfort sourced in God Himself is that it doesn’t stay put. A person who just numbs his or her emotional pain with medication or hours of scrolling has nothing to offer anyone else. These imitations of true comfort will only serve to isolate him further. True comfort, derived only from above, will lead to more comfort that will inevitably spill over and impact the lives of others. 

Long-Distance Impact

Genuine comfort, sourced in God Himself, can overflow and impact any other believer from any other part of the world in any other era. 

  • “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good.” (Gen. 50:20). These words, spoken by Joseph to the very men who had years before sold him into slavery and given him up for dead, highlight God’s sovereignty over the evil perpetrated against us. 
  • “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). After losing his children and every possible source of income, Job still worshiped God. His comfort came not from financial security or from his family but from God Himself. For thousands of years, this true comfort has run through the pages of Scripture into the hearts of suffering saints. 

Of course, those are examples of the inspired Word of God doling out comfort. Those words have exceptional power because they are living and active (Heb. 4:12). However, the comfort from God doesn’t spill out only from characters in the Bible. 

  • The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom’s memoir of her time hiding Jews and ultimately in German concentration camps, has sold millions of copies and influenced generations of readers. 
  • The story of the martyrdom of five missionaries, as recalled by the widow of one of those slain men in The Shadow of the Almighty, has impacted the hearts of countless readers in the past seventy years. 
  • Joni Eareckson Tada lost the use of her limbs well over sixty years ago. However, spending six decades (and counting) in a wheelchair has not dimmed her passion for God and His Word. Instead, she tells of her constant need to find comfort in her Savior. As a result, generations of souls have been comforted through the comfort that she has been given. 

Up-Close-and-Personal Comfort 

These long-distant examples may seem extreme and unique. After all, not many of us will live through the things that Corrie ten Boom, Elisabeth Elliot, or Joni Eareckson Tada did (or have). However, our lives will be touched by suffering. And our loved ones’ lives will be as well. 

I’ve recently been reflecting on this as a dear saint who greatly impacted my life left this world and stepped into the presence of her Savior after a brief but brutal battle with cancer. Though separated by many miles from this lovely woman and her family, I watched them from afar (thanks to the internet) as they fought for faith and ran to the Refuge during their journey through the valley of death. As I read their updates, often with tears in my eyes, I was comforted by how they ran to the true Source of comfort. 

That’s not to minimize pain or suffering or say that it’s all fine because I got something out of it. Not at all. Suffering, by definition, hurts. But the comfort offered by the God of all comfort can impact not only the heart of the sufferer but many others’ hearts as well. Only God Himself could create such a beautiful dynamic.

I don’t know what valley, trial, or affliction you may be facing. But I do know that true comfort can come from only one Source. As you seek comfort in Him, you might just be surprised at the effect you could have on those around you—whether far or near, today or tomorrow. 

Truth-filled. Encouraging. Helpful. Hopeful. These are just a few of the words our team is using to describe Enduring Trials & Suffering, our most recent online event. The live event may be over, but you can still register to watch the recording. When you register, you’ll get free resources and more, plus access to the recording through May 5, 2025.