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.
One way God uses the sufferings of his people is to reveal how encourages, comforts, and ultimately saves those who suffer. He reveals that the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who long for righteousness, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted all have great things to which to look forward. They have such a great reward in heaven that they can even rejoice and be glad here and now.
Everyone in the beatitudes foregoes some here and now pleasure in favor of something greater. But is it just, or even mainly, a matter of gritting our teeth and bearing it until we finally have our reward in heaven? Would this really contribute to the "encouragement and salvation" of others? If this is how our lives are going do we really have the courage to invite others to "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord"? Can we really make the case that people who look to the him "may be radiant with joy"?
It is not just an eventual reward to which we look forward. God "comforts us in all our affliction" not merely after all our afflictions. One day he will wipe away every tear but he gives us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter (cf. Joh. 14:26), even now. Even in the midst of the greatest sufferings the Holy Spirit allows us to share in the encouragement and salvation of God.
Jesus invites us to discover a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light (cf. Mat. 11:30). He invites us to give up trying to carry all this suffering on our own. He tells us that in the world, yes, we will have trouble, but that he has overcome the world (cf. Joh. 16:33). We can share in his victory even now to the degree that we allow him to unleash the Holy Spirit in our lives.
We reveal that there is more going in our lives than our own weakness. The limits of our strength are not our limits. Behind the scenes God is at work. We are more than meets the eye.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (cf. 2 Cor. 2:10).
Our sufferings do not define us. Even our own ability to respond, or lack thereof, does not define us. The way in which God comforts us when we do suffer defines us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Now we can truly reveal his presence in our world. Now we can say with assurance that even in a world which is marked by suffering and affliction our God reigns!
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
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