Joel M Bradshaw

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who 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 Corinthians 1

I remember hearing a line from the great Paul David Tripp on a Griefshare video. It went something like this:

You are not merely to be a container that receives comfort from God. You are to be a conduit. As you receive comfort, you are to convey it to others.

The Biblical point is clear. God comforts us in our troubling seasons. And we are expected to point others to the very God who comforts us by caring for them.

It’s a foundational element of any care ministry. It’s why support groups always should be led by people who God has already journeyed with in that respective category. People with wounds listen to people with scars.

2 Corinthians 1 reminds us to pay attention, pay homage, and pay it forward.

The greatest joy in counseling is when my story comforts another. But that is only possible if I see myself as a conduit. If I focus on just receiving comfort I may miss the opportunity for that joy. I therefore look for opportunities to use my story for God’s glory.—JMB