For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. ESVUK

To summarise: we have seen that

  • God comforts people;
  • God comforts people by using people. But also, we now see that
  • God comforts people by using comforted people.

Comforted Comforters!

This takes us back to chapter 1. Do you remember this?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

God puts good things into our lives that we can then share with others. We are to be ‘channels’ of blessing, rather than ‘reservoirs’.

Philippians 2 opens like this:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then…

In essence what comes next is the message, ‘pass it on’; ‘share it around’; let it flow outward to others in Christ-like humble loving service.