“And our hope of you [is] stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so [shall ye be] also of the consolation.” (2Co 1:7 AV)
Paul is speaking from experience here. He knows the church at Corinth, even though they may be suffering at the moment, will be ok. How? Because they are not going through anything he has not already faced. Paul was asked to go through hard times in part so that he could be a help to others facing similar situations. Note in particular how complete Paul’s faith is. The statement he speaks above is not idle one. Our great Apostle is stating that our consolation will be equal to or greater than our suffering. In other words, no matter how deep the water may be, when the trial is over and God has done His work, we will be the better for it. Our consolation will more than meet the needs of our trial. This is an astounding statement and is absolutely true.
A few years back, I was suffering from a condition that caused my emotions to be completely turned upside down. It bordered on frightening. Not knowing there was an issue with my neuroendocrine system, I thought I was going crazy. A number of very hard losses, one after another, produced stress which I was not prepared to handle. This caused a system to be damaged, which in return, caused emotional imbalance. It was really bad. It wasn’t until we moved and the LORD led me to a doctor who was a superb clinician that I had a diagnosis and treatment. After several years of treatment, my emotional balance is pretty much restored. There are situations I must avoid. There are moments when I have a slight relapse. But all in all, the effect of the damage has been mitigated. If you were to tell me a few years back that I would be normal again, I wouldn’t have believed you. I thought the condition of which I was suffering would be lifelong. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. My perception was skewed by a physical problem that, with a wonderful doctor and the right treatment, has been rectified. My consolation has met the trial and overcame it.
All glory to God! With the treatment came some exercises that help me when times are a bit trying. The Holy Spirit works with me through the word of God, reminding me of truths that are distant. These truths are there. They simply have lost their place in the forefront of my mind. The Holy Spirit works with my heart to remind me of things I forget. He opens my mind’s eye to new truths that need to be learned and believed. The promise of God never ceases. It doesn’t matter how we feel. Our bodies can tell us one thing. But the word of God will stand forever. All I know is that no matter how deep the waters may be, the consolation of God is much greater. Hang in there. Help is on the way. By God’s grace you will make it. The word of God promises as much.
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