Give them some of your strength

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “He comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-6 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Give them some of your strength”

Throughout the years of my ministry, I have had the privilege of knowing Christians who were especially gifted at comforting others. They were men and women who were empathic at a deep level and they had a unique gift of being able to enter into someone else’s pain and suffering with them, sharing the burden and offering comfort.

I have great admiration for people who have the strength to carry other people’s burdens like that. They offer some of their own strength to help that person deal with that heavy load. In those cases, there is essentially a transfer of strength taking place. The comforting person is giving the hurting, struggling, grieving person an infusion of strength to help them carry on.

In almost every case like that, the gifted comforter is a person who has suffered greatly themselves. They are people who have overcome serious illness, suffered through the pain of the death of a loved one, endured the long-term agony of a wayward adult child, or something similar. Sometimes many times over. The Bible teaches in multiple passages that such suffering of our own, can and should make us stronger so that we can then be a source of strength for others as they endure similar things.

The process of progressive sanctification, and the transformation that comes from it, is the result of different and varied kinds of work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But part of the process involves the Spirit using our times of trial and suffering to make us stronger. That new strength will certainly be of benefit to us when we endure trials of our own, but as Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 1:4-6, our strength can also be used as a source of strength and comfort for others who are suffering.

I encourage you to be willing to share your strength with others. Ask the Lord to make you aware of a suffering, struggling, hurting person today (they’re all around you), then find a way to be a source of comfort and strength for them.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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