In yesterday's devotion we saw that we are wonderfully comforted and strengthened by God in our hardships and trials so that so that "when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, TLB)

Although we can mean well when we seek to sympathize and encourage, we sometimes say words that offend, confuse, and intensify the grief others are feeling. This is what happened to Job.

In the depths of Job's suffering, he cried out against the words of his friends, finding their attempts at comfort to be empty and frustrating. "I have heard all this before," he lamented.

In moments of our own profound grief, we often encounter well-intentioned but inadequate words from those around us. Job's plea for genuine solace resonates with the rawness of our own experiences.

In the face of death and loss, we are presented with an opportunity and a responsibility. The opportunity is to comfort others as we ourselves have been comforted by God. God's comfort goes beyond mere words; it encompasses His presence, compassion, and understanding. We, too, can offer a comforting presence, a shoulder to lean on, and the assurance that even in the depths of grief, there is hope.

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Prayer

Heavenly Father, I'm grateful for Your boundless mercy and comforting presence in my life. Teach me to see my trials as opportunities to receive and share Your divine comfort. May my experiences of Your encouragement become a source of hope for others in their times of need.

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Reflection

1. How has God's comfort sustained you in times of trial

2. Reflect on instances where you've been a recipient of divine sympathy. How can you actively pass on this comfort to those around you who are troubled?

3. Can you recall a specific moment when sharing your experience of God's comfort made a tangible difference in someone else's life, providing them with hope and encouragement in their own trials?

Watch: Grieving Well, Pt 1

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