Count Your Blessings
for just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:5 NASB
So also – Are your sufferings in abundance? Are you pressed by a world of troubles? Do things in life seem to be at the breaking point? That’s exactly how I’m feeling these days. Life is getting very heavy for me. But notice the perspective Paul offers in this verse. God balances our sufferings with comfort.
The Greek words here are houto and kai. Actually, in Greek the phrase reads, “so through Christ abounds also the comfort.” What matters most in this thought is Christ, so Paul puts that word first. “So through the Messiah” – that’s how everything that matters happens.
“So” (houto) is an adverb that tells us that this thought refers to the preceding thought. Paul writes to the Corinthians to inform them that the comfort through the Messiah has a direct correspondence to the sufferings they face in life. Houto is coupled with kai. Kai is used to continue the thought. Paul is saying something like this:
“Today you are having plenty of trouble. You are experiencing suffering because you are being faithful in your life in Messiah Yeshua. But just as much as you are suffering, this situation is directly connected with the comfort that Yeshua the Messiah is giving you. This is the ‘holy balance’ of a faithful life. The Messiah always provides as much comfort as your suffering demands.”
Often life presents us with circumstances that seem to defy resolution. We are forced to confront our finitude, dependence and inadequacy. This really goes against the grain of our natural lives. We all want to grasp the destiny we envision. But I believe that God engineers life so that we must place life in His hands. It is really an illusion to think that I am capable of running the show. When I put my life completely in His hands, I have to fight against the current. Everything tries to push me the other way. Sometimes swimming upstream is easy. Sometimes it is very difficult. Paul reminds me that the difficulty of my struggle to move against the current of the world is compensated by the amazing comfort in the Messiah. He really cares! I never lose hope because of what He has done and what He promises. Despair is not a biblical idea.
I am quite sure that the small assembly of Messianic believers in Corinth faced enormous difficulties. Residing in one of the ancient world’s greatest cities of idolatry could not have been easy. There was simply no way to avoid confrontation, abuse and rejection by those who worshipped the panoply of Roman gods. Life was closer to a nightmare than a daydream. But hope does not fail those who know Yeshua. He has overcome the world in order that we might experience the presence of the King. This was true in Corinth and it is true today no matter where you happen to live.
Topical Index: kai, houto, so that, comfort, trials, suffering, 2 Corinthians 1:5
I love the summation you gave Skip, ““Today you are having plenty of trouble. You are experiencing suffering because you are being faithful in your life in Messiah Yeshua. But just as much as you are suffering, this situation is directly connected with the comfort that Yeshua the Messiah is giving you. This is the ‘holy balance’ of a faithful life. The Messiah always provides as much comfort as your suffering demands.” Blessings!
“Despair is not a biblical idea.”
And yet Paul himself experienced despair and even points that out a couple verses later. Apparently he did not perceive that promised balancing comfort in that phase of his life so he could learn to rely on God. Are you saying The LORD does not use despair?
Do a little research on the Greek exaporeo. You might discover that it should not be translated “despair” but rather “utterly without resources.” The first translation is a mental state, the second a physical one. Which one do you suppose reflects a Greek point of view about spiritual realities?
Then why does he point it out in such proximity to your cited verse? Is he contrasting the two? Perhaps a contemporary reader would need that?
Look at the Greek word. If Paul is talking about a psychological state of massive depression and hopelessness, then we could read it as “despair.” But the Greek word is about lack of resources, not lack of hope. Do you think Paul gave up his faith in the sovereignty of God at this point, or is he expressing the experience of being without any more resources to deal with the issue?
How does that explain why he’s connecting the two concepts? I’m very grateful you’re trying to help me grasp this but I’m starting to feel really dense at this point.
Dense is good. Count your blessings. 🙂 This will have to wait now. It is late here in africa.
As we struggle against the current of this world, we need to support and encourage one another. What can we do, Skip, what can I do? A scattered community has limitations, but if there is something we can do…please let us know.
You guys already do amazing things! My family has been struggling (this post is awesome, Skip!), and this community recently made a huge impact of support and encouragement in our lives. Keep doing things like that. That is community. That is being the hands and feet of God. Not only was it incredible support and encouragement, but I was able to connect with so many readers, many of whom (much like me) tend to be quiet readers.
Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is in me, bless His Holy Name. I also have hope whenever I get suffer in my life and my soul. I aim high to His word His promises and my Messiah and I absolutely have hope His comfort. I do not know how hard you are facing; I am sure is very hard but you have hope in the Messiah; He is a wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace. Skip, take courage my dear teacher. After the heavy and dark storm, the clear blue bright sky and His glory will appear. Shalom.
Due to some medical emergencies we needed a place to park our 5th wheel while we figure out some hard circumstances.
As I read this I am looking out at our friends and hosts who, themselves being in desperate straights, have graciously taken us in. We are all living in trailers behind their boarding house (that was red tagged in June) waiting for the mortgage lender to decide what to do with us. In the mean time they are struggling to pay off enormous utility bills left by the nonpaying tenants so that when the time comes to move they can have service for their new place.
Then to top it all off he crushed his arm yesterday in a construction accident. Miracles of miracles the bones are not broken but the soft tissue is seriously damaged. He is now not incapable of working. We are praising Yah that my husband has some income and waiting to see what Yah has in store for us.
Our plan? Prepare as a community for Yom Ha Kippurim and get ready to build a Sukkah. o/
Ah silly me. I forgot to mention their every day normal trials.
They came to Torah keeping through an accident that she (a licensed attorney) had a few years ago which left her totally and permanently disabled. Because the accident happened at church, there was a bitter court battle over who was at fault (she fell through a manhole cover that had been put in place but not bolted down) and then excommunication from the body during the total annihilation of their financial status during her hospitalization.
And then there is the issue of homeschooling their special needs 17 yr. old son who is has intense anger issues, and a their 14 yr. old daughter. There is more which will be left unspoken.
My point is that YHVH has pulled us all through all of this and much much more and because He’s never dropped us on our heads before we’re trusting that He’s going to continue caring for us now.
are you suffering with troubles then Rabbii? Life getting too heavy, at breaking point? That’s not good. Is there anything we can do to ease the burden or lighten the load? Let us know huh?
Just asking with intent to act is very nice. Other than falling off a ladder and having a black and blue chest, I am fine. One more adventure.