The Father of All Mercies and God of All Comfort
He leads me …
These titles of God the Father are not common, so they require some investigation to help us better understand who our Heavenly Father is. The Biblical reference is 2 Corinthians 1:3–5 -
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too (ESV)
The meaning of comfort in the New Testament is always more than just soothing sympathy. Comfort includes the concept of strengthening, of helping, of making strong.
In the scripture at the beginning of this blog, Paul considered the Father a paraclete, meaning a comforter, an intercessor, an aider and a consoler. Most believers already accept that the Holy Spirit is our Paraclete (John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7) and that God the Son is also our Paraclete (1 John 2:1; Hebrews 2:18; Luke 2:25). So, by putting all this together we understand God, He is full of comfort, strength, and help for us.
We know that Jesus suffered throughout the time He ministered humanly, and this makes Him fully qualified to comfort us when we are tempted or tested. (Hebrews 2:18)
And we do not simply take any comfort God gives us and do nothing with it. Just as we are built up by the Lord’s care of us, we are then able to provide care for others going through similar experiences. God has given us the care and support that we need, and we can then learn from these experiences and use what we have gained to help others. It is our actual experience that we are passing on and not just a theory.
The Bible tells us that part of being a Christian is experiencing hardships and suffering. Going through these things are part of what helps us become more like Jesus. But God does promise to help us endure.
In 2 Corinthians 1:6-7 Paul wants the Corinthian church to join him in the experience of suffering and comfort. He encourages them (and us too, by extension) to not try to escape it, but to ‘patiently endure’ it. Why? Because this is how sanctification (becoming a mature Christian who follows Jesus’ example) works -
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:3-5 TLB).
This is the same idea Jesus expressed in John 16:33: where He says that in the world we will have tribulation; but we are to be heartened because Jesus has overcome the world and will therefore help us to overcome our difficulties too.
While our relationship with Jesus is our priority, Christians should do what they can to help others and comfort them as well (Mark 12:28-31). This applies especially to other Christians. When one Christian suffers, the whole church family should endure together, and when one Christian celebrates, the whole church family should celebrate too (1 Corinthians 12:26). We are meant to live the Christian life together.
There is a lot of strength in us sharing our affliction, suffering and comfort with others. In doing this it is important to listen to each other, pray with each other and encourage each other for our mutual benefit.
What situations require God’s comfort?
Paul says that God comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction. Paul intentionally uses the word all three times in a row to show that God provides for people completely in every possible kind of suffering.
What does God’s comfort look like?
God’s comfort means more than just a temporary relief from pain or being at ease, as in the modern sense of the word. It involves being able to rest because God carries our burdens and gives us strength to keep going.
How does God comfort us?
His Presence. In Biblical stories, when people are afraid and under pressure, God reminds them that He is with them in the midst of whatever they are facing (see Genesis 15:1, 26:24, 28:15, Exodus 3:12, Psalm 73, Psalm 139, Matthew 28:20, Acts 9:31, Acts 18:9-11).
His Promises. When people are in distress in the Scriptures, they hold onto God’s promises. They are strengthened by being reminded that God promises to bring justice, to punish those who have committed wrongdoing, to establish people in righteousness, and ultimately to wipe away death and tears and make all things new! (see Psalm 119:49-56, 73-88; Isaiah 12:1-6, 51:1-16, Revelation 21:1-7).
His People. Throughout scripture, God comforts His people through other people. God strengthened Moses by sending Aaron (Exodus 4:14-17). He comforted Paul through Titus, and comforted Titus through the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 7:5-7). Timothy’s report that the Thessalonian church longed to see Paul, gave him comfort in the midst of distress and affliction (1 Thessalonians 3:6-10). As we work alongside other believers, we comfort and encourage each other (Colossians 4:7-11).
So, if we need God’s comfort, we can seek His presence through Bible reading, prayer or singing worship songs, remembering His promises and reaching out to mature believers or trusted family and friends. We can ask them to pray with us and to travel with us as we look for answers.[1]
Gregory of Nyssa[2], said that the Christian way of life includes the Father sharing the Holy Spirit with us now so that we can begin to experience a little bit of what eternity is like. Experiencing the gift of the Holy Spirit is not so that we can avoid affliction, but rather that with God we can work our way through it.
Afflictions are our chance to experience the victory of Christ now. Afflictions enable us to know that the Holy Spirit is truly with us, no matter what we encounter. Afflictions are our chance to share the Good News with others, not by preaching and lecturing, but by feeling their pain and being strong together.”[3]
The Holy Spirit lives within us to provide us with comfort. He works to bring the Bible, friendships, and perspective into our minds at just the right time. He loves to interact with us and be the still, small voice of God’s comfort when we need it the most.
The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we can know who God is and know how to follow Him. Often the Holy Spirit will speak to us in our minds by giving us a thought or an idea. Or He will lead us by making an impression upon our hearts to say something, do something, or think something according to His will.[4]
We can give our time, our talents, and our love to others. We can give a kind word, a helping hand, or simply listen. It is not about how much we give, but the sincerity and selflessness we offer.
As we embrace the call to give, let us remember that our generosity is not solely about meeting the needs of others but also about transforming our own hearts. Through giving, we experience the joy of making a difference in the life of someone, and we become more like Jesus in the process.[5]
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] The God of All Comfort, Kristal Toews, Northview Community Church;
https://northview.org/the-god-of-all-comfort/
[2] Gregory of Nyssa, was bishop of Nyssa and a prominent theologian of the fourth century.
[3] God of All Comfort, Stephen Morris;
https://www.stephenmorrisauthor.com/god-of-all-comfort/
[4] The Holy Spirit Lives In Us, PaulsValleyDailyDemocrat.com;
https://www.paulsvalleydailydemocrat.com/community/the-holy-spirit-lives-in-us/article
[5] Generosity Can Transform Our Hearts, PaulsValleyDailyDemocrat.com;
https://www.paulsvalleydailydemocrat.com/community/generosity-can-transform-our-hearts/article
