Indeed, experience shows that the more we share Christ’s suffering the more we are able to give of his encouragement. This means that if we experience trouble we can pass on to you comfort and spiritual help; for if we ourselves have been comforted we know how to encourage you to endure patiently the same sort of troubles that we have ourselves endured. We are quite confident that if you have to suffer troubles as we have done, then, like us, you will find the comfort and encouragement of God. (J.B.Phillips).

As the passage flows on, we see again that God blesses us to be a blessing. We receive from the Lord in order to pass it on.

‘God’s comfort is not given; it is loaned, and you are expected to pass it on to others. The pain you experience now will help you to encourage others in their trials. When you suffer, avoid self-pity, for self-pity will make you a reservoir instead of a channel. If you fail to share God’s comfort with others, your experience in the furnace will be wasted; and it is a tragic thing to waste your sufferings.’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’, p.757.

‘God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.’ John Henry Jowett.