Have you ever been burdened excessively? Have you ever been burdened beyond your strength? Have you ever despaired of life? The apostle Paul did. And so did some other Christians in the first century. Join us for the next few months for some devotional thoughts out of Paul’s letter of 2 Corinthians. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians around A. D. 55-57, in the spring, and wrote 2 Corinthians probably 6-8 months later.
Paul will have to deal with some “allegiance” to false teachers in Corinth; thus he identifies himself as an apostle “by the will of God” (1:1). He has such authority. Paul and Timothy write to the church of God in Corinth as well as those (“saints”) in the broader region of Achaia. Therefore, 2 Corinthians was written to more than one assembly!
Paul gives thanks to God (1:3) because He comforts His followers. When He comforts us, we ought to comfort others (ver. 4). Paul specifically has in mind suffering that comes from living the Christian life. I fear that we do not suffer much today because we do not defend His truth today as prior generations have. The sufferings in Christ might be abundant but so also is the comfort we have in Christ (ver. 5).
The sufferings and afflictions Paul and Timothy endured were for the sake of the spiritual health of the Corinthians (ver. 6). They needed to patiently endure those sufferings, as their spiritual mentors were enduring. The hope is that if they share in the sufferings of Christ, they will also share in His comfort (ver. 7).
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Verse 8 shows that Paul had experienced excessive burdens, beyond his strength, even despairing of life. They even had the “sentence of death” hanging over them. But, they trusted in the God who raises the dead. In Whom do we trust (ver. 9)? God delivers from death and will continue to do so. That’s why we hope in Him (ver. 10). In the meanwhile, we help each other through our prayers, giving thanks for favor (or “grace”) bestowed on one another.
God comforts us so we can comfort others. As we have shared in His sufferings, we will share in His comfort. We trust in the God who raises the dead. We hope in the One who delivers us.
Paul Holland
