You’re Looking for Comfort in the Wrong Place—Here’s the Truth

Recently something dawned on me (Light Bulb).  The word “comfortable” is NOT in the Bible.  This may come as a shock to some of us believers because we spend a lot of time making sure we feel just right.  But God never says, “Blessed are the comfortable.”  This word does not appear in any of the commandments either.  The word comfort appears 79 times in the Bible in all its different forms. 

It seems that these fall into two categories.  1) God will comfort us, and 2) we should comfort others.  Nowhere does it tell us to be preoccupied with our own comfort.  In other word, we need to trust and obey God, whether it is easy or difficult, but we should be far less concerned with how others treat us.  Face it, “love you enemy whenever it’s convenient” hits differently than what the Bible really says. 

In Second Corinthians 1:3–7 the apostle Paul talks about two experiences every believer knows well: suffering and comfort. Paul does not pretend that the Christian life is easy. Instead, he shows us how God meets us right in the middle of our pain and uses it for something greater.

Paul begins by praising God. He calls Him “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.” That is an important starting point. When suffering comes, our first instinct is often to ask, “Why is this happening?” But Paul begins with worship. He reminds us that God’s character has not changed. God is still compassionate. He is still the source of all comfort. No matter what we are going through, God is not distant or uncaring. He is near, and He cares deeply.

The word “comfort” appears repeatedly in this passage. It is not a small idea. Biblical comfort is more than just feeling better for a moment. It carries the idea of being strengthened, encouraged, and helped. It is like someone coming alongside you to hold you up when you are too weak to stand on your own. Paul is saying that God does this for us. In all our troubles—not just some of them—God comes near to give us strength.

But Paul does not stop there. He explains that the comfort we receive from God has a purpose. “So that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” This is a powerful truth. God does not waste our suffering. The trials we go through become tools in God’s hands. When we experience His comfort, we are then able to pass that same comfort on to others.

Think about how this works in real life. When someone is going through grief, who are they most helped by? Often, it is someone who has walked through grief before. When someone is struggling with fear or anxiety, who can best encourage them? It is often someone who has faced those same struggles and found God faithful. Our suffering becomes a bridge that connects us to others. It gives us credibility and compassion.

Paul then makes an important statement: “For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” Notice the connection. Suffering and comfort are linked together. The more we share in suffering, the more we experience God’s comfort. This does not mean we should seek out suffering, but it does mean that suffering is not pointless. God meets us in it in a deep and personal way.

When Paul talks about “the sufferings of Christ,” he is reminding us that Jesus Himself suffered. Jesus was rejected, misunderstood, beaten, and crucified. He knows what it is like to hurt. Because of that, He is able to comfort us in a way no one else can. We are not alone in our pain. We are walking a path that Jesus has already walked.

Paul also explains that his own suffering had a purpose beyond himself. He says, “If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation.” In other words, even his hardships were used by God to help others grow. This shows us that our lives are not just about us. God is working through our experiences—both good and bad—to bless others and point them to Him.

Then Paul adds, “If we are comforted, it is for your comfort.” This creates a cycle. We suffer, God comforts us, and then we comfort others. As we do that, they are strengthened to endure their own struggles. This is how the body of Christ is meant to function. We are not meant to suffer alone. We are meant to support one another with the comfort God has given us.

Finally, Paul speaks of hope. He says, “And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” Suffering is not the end of the story. Comfort is coming. And not just temporary comfort, but lasting hope in Christ.

Many times we say things like, “I am doing everything for my wife (or husband) and she is not doing as much for me.”  But God has not told us to do exactly as much to someone else does.  He never said, “Serve me as much as the next guy.”  There will be occasions where we will think that we are carrying the load, and others are not helping us.  However, God did not call us to complain or keep score; he called us to trust and obey him.  Just know that “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” 

Stop getting hung up on what other people are doing.  Focus on God and what he has called you to do, and he will comfort, strengthen, and sustain you when other people fail.