Sharing Comfort

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 in 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 trouble 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)

Sheila Meador is from North Carolina. At a company holiday event, Sheila and her husband arrived early to get seats near the speakers. Sheila wanted to sit close so she could read the speakers' lips because her hearing aids only help so much. Another employee and his wife sat with them. As they introduced themselves and began to share a little about their lives, Sheila mentioned her hearing impairment. The woman said she was losing her hearing and didn't know what to do next. Sheila didn't have to think about what to say; God gave her the words. She was able to comfort her as God had comforted Sheila when she found out she was going deaf. Since that night, God has given Sheila the words to encourage several other people, even about struggles other than hearing impairments.

A few years later, Sheila was reading 2 Corinthians. When she came to today's quoted scripture, she became excited. This is what God had been doing in her life! In her struggles she knew that God was there for her because of the promises in God's word. God comforts us so that we can do the same for others. Sheila gives thanks for God's comfort and passes it on.

Prayer: God of compassion, thank you for comforting us. Guide us to comfort others in your name. Amen.