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II Corinthians 1.3, 4 (NIV)
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.
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| There is a very sweet grace called sympathy, which is seldom found in persons who have had no trouble.* |
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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 another of the worst things that I have experienced. 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. And becoming a widow after my husband's two-year struggle with pancreatic cancer has provided me with many opportunities to encourage others with my testimony of God's presence and provision.
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!
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| Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.* |
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