God comforts us to comfort others
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may 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 ESV)
When God gives us His generous comfort, as sometimes is needed, He gives it to us in such measure that we are able to not only be comforted ourselves, but there is plenty comfort left over for us to give the same kind of comfort to others.
A lesson from sourdough
As a youth, I lived in a log cabin in Rabbit Creek, Alaska. We were without indoor plumbing and really roughed it in many ways. We got our water from the creek and used an outhouse out back. Cooking was also very basic, but it was delicious. Mom made a special homemade bread out of sourdough. The sourdough was made from a small batch of “starter” she kept in a bag of flour as a small lump. Mom had originally gotten her sourdough starter from another Alaskan who had kept theirs for many years. Each time mom made a batch of bread, she would take a small lump of the sourdough from it and put it into a sack of flour to use the next time. She continued to use that technique year after year and often gave some of it to friends when they came to visit, so that they could make sourdough bread, too.
In the same way
The “comfort that God” gives, is like the sourdough starter and can be used over and over and be shared countless times for others as needed! “God comforts us so we can comfort others with the same comfort.” And, it will never run out!
Therefore…
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 2:1-4 ESV)
“For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.” (2 Cor. 1:5-7 ESV)
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV)
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” (Isa. 40:1 ESV)