"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."

~ 2 Corinthians 1:3 & 4 LAB

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Bible Commentary:  "Many think that when God comforts us, our hardships should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only to be relieved of pain and not out of love for Him. We must understand that comfort can also means receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our hardships. The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us. If we are feeling overwhelmed, we need to allow God to comfort us as He can. We need to remember that every trial we endure will later become an opportunity to minster to other people suffering similar hardships."

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