In my devotion today I had these thoughts and prayers.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Cor 1:3-4

And what is that comfort that we receive from God? One ought to think about that if he believes this verse to be true. What is the comfort that we receive from God in our affliction?

I do not know what it is for you, but for me I find God’s comfort in the following thoughts:

2 Cor 1:8-11 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves…

What was Paul’s predicament? Paul describes a very serious and painful experience both physical and emotional – “beyond our strength” he says. Notice it isn’t just “beyond his strength” but “beyond our strength”! It would be one thing to be alone and outdone; it’s a whole new level of despair when your whole team is massacred and lying on the field dead! His whole support system had been wiped out.

Paul says, “we despaired even of life.” What does that mean? Think about it and come up with your own answer. Then after you have done that ask if that is characteristic of your own trial; have you despaired even of life. Is your trial worse than his or less than his?

Now, why had this great torment come upon Paul and his companions? Why would God allow this to happen to people who had dedicated their lives to serving Him?

In their case it was…

…so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope.

God put Paul and his friends through enormous trials to learn just two things. First, you can’t do it by yourselves. Secondly, God can do the impossible!

They had proof that this was true. They knew God had raised the dead. Upon that solitary fact alone they found strength and hope and life. So much so that in the midst of this severe trial Paul was able to crawl out from underneath it, climbed up on top of it, and encourage everyone else to move forward! He wasn’t dying under the sheer weight of the trial; he was living.

I get this picture of this skinny little running back getting gang tackled on the football field. As he begins to collapse under the enormous weight and blows of the opposing team he remembers “God who raises the dead.” He then miraculously finds a little opening from underneath that pile and squirts out and runs away from them. Not only did he overcome the enormous weight of a team but he lifted a large number of fans off their seats as well!

Such is the power of this one single fact – God raises the dead.

Later in this same letter Paul says again how this fact kept him going.

2 Cor 4:7-10 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

If we have the hope of eternal life within ourselves, if we know that God raised Jesus from the dead, then how can we not have this same attitude toward the trials we face? Is God with us or not? If He is with us then…

…He will yet deliver us…2 Cor 1:10

How will this come about? Look at the next verse.

11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers…

It would be through prayer. Our prayers help the afflicted.

11…so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for
the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

Notice the source of the favor that had come upon Paul. It was through the prayers of many.

I may not be able to do much, but I can pray. Yet one of the most neglected things I do is pray. I am challenged by this to pray and to pray more fervently.

I imagine God delights to hear our prayers and is eager to answer them as they come in agreement with His desire and will. Is He not glorified in this way?