Day 9
2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (NIV)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 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 receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
Here is the uncomfortable truth about being a Jesus follower: things will be hard. Jesus doesn’t promise us an easy life, rather He promises that our lives will have plenty of trouble (John 16:33).
But the difference in being a part of the Kingdom of God is this: God promises to be near. And in His presence we find peace, mercy, love and comfort. We don’t walk through our pain and troubles alone! God walks with us. He is near. He loves us and he comforts us! He sees our pain and he meets us with compassion and mercy. In Him we find hope and healing. We have peace that we are not alone. We experience love in abundance!
So even though we are warned that we will suffer, because of the brokenness of this world and because of our allegiance to Jesus, we take comfort knowing that we do not suffer alone. God is present with us even now. And we also take comfort in knowing that Jesus was not distant or aloof from our sufferings. Rather, He joined in them, He took them on and He experienced them. Jesus knows what it is like to experience betrayal, abandonment, disappointment, rejection, abuse and pain. Jesus shared in human suffering and now comforts us in our suffering.
Abundant life in Jesus includes abundant suffering. But it also includes abundant comfort now, in the present, from a God who loves us so much that he was willing to join in our suffering.
But the difference in being a part of the Kingdom of God is this: God promises to be near. And in His presence we find peace, mercy, love and comfort. We don’t walk through our pain and troubles alone! God walks with us. He is near. He loves us and he comforts us! He sees our pain and he meets us with compassion and mercy. In Him we find hope and healing. We have peace that we are not alone. We experience love in abundance!
So even though we are warned that we will suffer, because of the brokenness of this world and because of our allegiance to Jesus, we take comfort knowing that we do not suffer alone. God is present with us even now. And we also take comfort in knowing that Jesus was not distant or aloof from our sufferings. Rather, He joined in them, He took them on and He experienced them. Jesus knows what it is like to experience betrayal, abandonment, disappointment, rejection, abuse and pain. Jesus shared in human suffering and now comforts us in our suffering.
Abundant life in Jesus includes abundant suffering. But it also includes abundant comfort now, in the present, from a God who loves us so much that he was willing to join in our suffering.
Prayer Focus for today:
Name an area of suffering in your life. How have you experienced God’s comfort? If you don’t believe that you have received comfort from God in that area, tell Him that. Then ask Him to reveal how He is near.
This passage says that we receive comfort from God in order that we might give it away to others. Ask God to show you someone whom He wants to comfort today. Maybe He has a word of encouragement or an impression or another way that He wants you to give his comfort to them! Ask the Lord for His direction and courageously step into that today.
Name an area of suffering in your life. How have you experienced God’s comfort? If you don’t believe that you have received comfort from God in that area, tell Him that. Then ask Him to reveal how He is near.
This passage says that we receive comfort from God in order that we might give it away to others. Ask God to show you someone whom He wants to comfort today. Maybe He has a word of encouragement or an impression or another way that He wants you to give his comfort to them! Ask the Lord for His direction and courageously step into that today.
Posted in Month of Prayer 2026
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