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Daily Bible Verses for 8/25/2016

Suffering – (2nd Corinthians 1:3-5)

Bible Verse
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Reading Notes
In this section of scripture Paul is using Old Testament descriptions of God. By using the term “Father of mercies” Paul is reminding us that our God is a God of loving kindness, who shows His mercy and grace to those who place their faith in Jesus. This term came from the Old Testament worship which called for God to show mercy to the sinner, who turns from their sins and back toward God. Moreover, the term “God of all comfort” is similar to the Greek word “Paraclete” which means “one who comforts” or “one who comes along side.” This term carries the meaning that God comes to our aid and walks along side of us. God is there with us in the midst of our tribulation for the purpose of comforting and strengthening us through our trials. God not only provides comfort; but the Holy Spirit comes alongside to help us, guide us, comfort us, strengthen us and carry us through the trial at hand.

And what Paul is describing here is the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all believers. We receive the Holy Spirit with our salvation and He is with us for the rest of our lives, until we go to be home with the Lord. The Holy Spirit gives us guidance, understanding, discernment, compassion and comfort as we grow in our knowledge of Jesus and His word. The Holy Spirit helps us bear through trials which strengthen our faith and build up perseverance within us, as we remain steadfast in our trust of God. So that in the end, we not only emerge with our faith stronger; but with more compassion and understanding in our hearts to help those around us in need. Until we have gone through suffering and experienced humility, we cannot help those in need around us. This is because we ourselves need to truly experience the love, compassion and humbleness of a heart submitted to God.