Empty Vessels (2024)

Paul starts 2 Corinthians with a blessing to God. It’s unique to all his letters. Even more so, he calls him the God of all comfort.

Wait… why do we need comfort? That’s an ominous beginning, isn’t it?

But it’s important, because suffering is a fundamental human experience. Suffering is connected to our imperfect natures and the sin-damaged form of our personhood and of this world. It is likely that you have experienced suffering in a number of ways, sometimes all at once. Suffering will find you; you don’t need to go looking for it. What separates Jesus followers is how we come to understand the origin of suffering and the source of our comfort and relief. So instead of blaming God or ignoring your pain, we are honest about it. Life sucks sometimes. Hurt happens. Relationships get messy, sickness consumes healthy bodies, financial losses unexpectedly spring up. These are real realities in human life, and you are human. It is okay to feel sad or hurt or disappointed or frustrated. To not feel these things is to not be human, to not know the real limits of body and mind.

Suffering won’t be ignored, but it won’t rule over you either. Because we don’t serve a God of suffering. We serve a God of mercy and of comfort. In every affliction, we find relief in God’s mercy. In every despair, we have hope in a God who will deliver. And in every situation, we will be shown the way through, by the grace of God.

We do not believe that God causes suffering. We believe that he uses it to bring about his goodness. To show us his love. To remind us of his power. To unite us with him in mission.