Healed to Heal

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 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.”

Paul wrote these words out of personal experience. He faced immense physical beatings, and emotional betrayal. Paul recognized that every trial he survived was preparation to help others.

God’s comfort is not just for our own benefit; it is an active gift. No matter what kind of trauma, depression, or distress we face, God comes in our lives and heals, but not just for our benefit alone. We receive the comfort so that we can comfort others that have been distressed. What we have learned through our pain, we can ease the pain of someone else through our experiences. Our personal survival of a crisis becomes a tool to minister to others who are hurting. Our hardships ultimately become a ministry of comfort in the hands of God. 

Prayer:

Lord, I know through this passage that I am healed so I can help someone else find their healing. I have suffered loss and recovered so that I can help someone else survive who has suffered loss. I have been devastated and restored at times so that I can help someone else be restored who has suffered devastation. Thank you for Your compassion to me, Your free gift of comfort to me, so I can be You to someone else. In Your name, Lord Jesus, I pray, Amen!