Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who 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. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV)

 

Wounded healers do not attempt to avoid their pain or suffering, but rather embrace it. They do not disguise their wounds. Or pretend they are fine when everything inside of them is hurting. They do not try to disregard their problems, but they do not use them as an excuse either. They recognise that life is unpredictable and cannot be avoided. This vulnerability serves as a foundation of trust and a testimony to God's love and faithfulness. Even when imprisoned, the Apostle Paul wrote numerous letters to encourage churches and saints, chronicling his own physical and emotional suffering for the sake of the Gospel, but his joy in Christ was indescribable.

We have all been wounded at some point in our lives, and the insightful wisdom we gain from our wounds maybe a gift of joy and comfort. As God's children, we are entrusted with the responsibility of blessing others. Rather than to wallow in self-pity or bitterness, Paul encourages us to believe that God will use hurt to heal others.

Comforting one another builds faith and courage.

When we offer comfort and hope to someone, we are saying to them that they are not alone and that we believe in them. I have never encountered a person who does not desire to be loved, valued, and respected. However, I have met many individuals that despise Christianity and Christians in general because of how poorly we represent Christ. We have a responsibility to address this credibility gap. Let us begin by thinking about the people we know and love. Rather than just treating them as a problem to be solved, we should genuinely love and heal them where they are hurting the most.