The God of All Comfort

The God of All Comfort

by Becky Dietz

II Corinthians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”

The Greek word for comfort is paraklesis. It means to come along side, to call near for help, consolation, solace, comfort, encouragement.  God is a God of compassion and mercies.  He will come along side you when you cry out for help.  He will comfort and encourage you.  

Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world.  Even though we have the “now-kingdom of God,” it’s not yet the “perfect-kingdom of God.”   Bad things still happen to all of us. And we all still need the comfort of God.  

The exciting thing about this chapter is that Paul goes on to tell us that we are able to comfort others with the comfort we receive.  Have you ever been able to do that?   I find it so amazing when I see someone going through the same thing I’ve been through and am able to share with them what I learned or how God helped me.  It brings encouragement, help, solace.  We get to extend the same paraklesis which God extended to us.  

If you’re in a hard place, a place of trials, a seemingly unbearable place...cry out to the God of all comfort.  He’ll come running!