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 will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:3–7

Our English word comfort comes from a Latin word meaning “to strengthen very much”—notice the word fort within it. You can either remain within the stronghold of your own life or you can bring people in within walls of shelter.

You can either comfort or remain comfortable. Notice which one the Lord Jesus chose to do.

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Barmhartige Samaritaan (The Good Samaritan), Han Wezelaar: Gouwenaar: Public Domain.
comfort. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comfort (accessed: February 17, 2013).
con-. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/con- (accessed: February 17, 2013).

Original content: Copyright ©2013 Iwana Carpenter