Worth Repeating - June 5, 2017

II Corinthians 1: 3, 4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

There is a very sweet grace called sympathy, which is seldom found in persons who have had no trouble.*

Going through a divorce was one of the worst things I have ever experienced, but God took every painful step with me. I have since been able to be God’s instrument of comfort to others as they walked that path themselves. Sitting by my dad’s bedside for four days as he suffered and died was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Dreadful as it was, I knew God’s comfort throughout the whole ordeal. A few months later, one of my friends lost her father and I was able to offer her some comfort and perspective.

I see three benefits that come out of every bad experience suffered by a believer. The first is a closer walk with God. We seldom draw nearer to our Father during the sunshiny days, while storms usually lead us to greater intimacy. The second benefit is our ability to empathize with others. Every time I am able to draw on my past to come to the aid of another, I thank God that my experience was not wasted.

The third benefit? I can face adversity with hope and courage because I know firsthand that the God of all comfort will not abandon me. Praise be to the Father of all comfort!

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.*