Finding a Miracle

What a wonderful God we have - he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us i our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement. We are in deep trouble for bringing you God's comfort and salvation. But in our troubles God has comforted us - and this, too, to help you; to show you from our personal experience how God will tenderly comfort you when you undergo these same sufferings. He will give you the strength to endure.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (TLB)

Linda Chandra lives in Banten, Indonesia. When her husband was hospitalized for kidney stones, Linda was hoping for a miracle. She hoped the stones could be dissolved without major surgery by drinking a lot of water or coconut water. But the stones were already very large and would not dissolve.

During that time at the hospital, God led Linda to comfort a patient in the next room who had burns all over his body. Nobody came to visit him because he was a migrant in their city and all of his family lived in another city. Together, they chanted, laughed, sang, and prayed. And as Linda comforted him, she was also being comforted by God.

Today's reading from 2 Corinthians reminds Linda of the comfort that God gives. She often feels God's comfort when she comforts others. During that time at the hospital, Linda hoped there would be a miracle for her husband, but he did not experience one. Rather, when Linda chose to comfort the patient next door, she found a different kind of miracle from God.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for comforting us in all circumstances so that we may offer comfort to others, in Jesus' name. Amen.