2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I keep coming back to the awareness that God’s blessings are not to stop with the immediate recipient. God in His incredible mercy flows His grace through His children, allowing them to participate in the destruction of the devil’s works. (1 John 3:8) When we try to keep God’s blessing for ourselves alone, we quickly lose them, or at least the benefit of them. It is when we extend those blessings to those around us that they are multiplied in our own lives, for the glory of God. That’s fairly easy to understand when it comes to things like love and comfort, as in this passage, but Jesus indicated that it applies to material things as well, when He said, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29) That said, it is things like love and comfort that affect us most directly and deeply. It has been said that “Love isn’t love until you give it away,” and there’s a lot of truth to that. In much the same way, we receive the full benefits of comfort when we in turn comfort others. On a romantic level, there are countless stories of people who have been widowed discovering a new level of peace and happiness with each other, as each comforts the other. However, this certainly isn’t limited to that. I think just about everyone has experienced the joy of being able to help someone out in a situation we have experienced ourselves. That’s precisely what Paul is talking about here, and he gives God glory for it.

This is something I’ve experienced countless times, and I’m grateful. At the same time, I think my wife has experienced it more, because she’s been through a lot more. I have watched as she has comforted people with the same or similar medical issues as she has, and I have seen her be blessed in the process. She is also a much better tutor than I am, because academics have always come easily for me, but she has figured out methods of study that she has delighted to pass on to others. Whatever the area, I need to remember that I am simply a transit point for the blessings God pours out on me, and rejoice to see others blessed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the hymn, Make Me a Channel of Blessing. It is true and appropriate indeed. Help me indeed live that way, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!