Your ShelfYour Projects

The Armory of Comfort

13%

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 12, 1902

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 79, No. 32.

Read the full edition

The Armory of Comfort

By Uriah Smith

A VERY profound lesson is brought before us in 2 Cor. 1:3, 4. The apostle clothes it in warm and genial language; but, expressed in the direct terms of plain instruction, the lesson is that God teaches Christian people to impart help and instruction to others through the experiences by which he instructs them.
His opening words in verse 3 are a fervent ascription of blessing and praise to God: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” A man gives evidence that his heart is not vanquished, when, under affliction, he can break forth, as the apostle does here, in blessing and praise to God. Three reasons are here assigned why God is worthy of blessing: (1) he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) he is the Father of mercies; (3) he is the God of all comfort. And we are to bear in mind, as we read this, that no man ever blesses God but sooner or later God blesses him. As we have often heard Brother Robert Harmon, the revered father of Mrs. E. G. White, testify in social meeting:—
“And what doth much increase the store, When I thank him, he gives me more.”
It is due to the Lord to give him thanksgiving and blessing whatever the condition we may be in. To render praises to God, removes the mind from present trouble, and lifts the heart to heavenly thoughts and considerations. God, in addition to being the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Father of mercies. Indeed, all mercies are included in him. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:32.
Then Paul finally discriminates, and comes to more particulars. He continues: “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.” “Tribulation” is from the Latin, tribulum. It means a “sledge or piece of wood, studded with pieces of flint, or iron teeth, used for thrashing out grain.” This is the experience suggested by the word “tribulation.” But God comforteth his people in whatever experience of this kind falls to their lot. He consents to come near personally and individually to comfort his people. He does this effectually, habitually, and perpetually; for he has promised to be with us to the end. “Lo,” he says, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:20. No trial can circumvent or baffle the skill of the Lord exercised in our behalf, nor pluck those who are his out of his hand. Ought not the people of the Lord to be always happy, with such help provided, and such comfort vouchsafed?
Our part is to pass this comfort along to all who can be helped and encouraged by it. This is the apostle’s plain instruction: “That we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Cor. 1:4. This is the service for which we are to be fitted. There is no limitation herein suggested. “That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Christ said to his disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled.” He said that if he went away, he would come again, and receive them to himself, that where he was there they might be also. Paul says, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4:18. This blessed hope is adapted to the severest trials to which any one can be subjected here. In India, a poor woman who had lost by death her two sons, felt that she could not be comforted. She said, “I had but two sons, and now they are both gone.” She was pointed to one of the missionaries who also had lost her two sons. The missionary, of course, sympathized with the poor woman in her bereavement, and pointed her to the blessed hope of which she had never heard. She, of course, felt sorrow for her own sons, and in this she could sympathize with the poor woman to whom she spoke. But she was able to say, “I shall have my sons with me again soon.” The poor Indian woman asked if that were true; and being assured that it was, she fell at her feet, and could hardly be persuaded to leave her. She was comforted. Thus the missionary comforted the poor woman with the comfort wherewith she was herself comforted of God. This we also are to do.
U. S.