Comfort
The Lord says, “I have brought all this horrible trouble on these people. But now I will give them all the good things I have promised them. ~ Jeremiah 32:42 (NIRV)
Our hope for you remains firm. We know that you suffer just as we do. In the same way, God comforts you just as he comforts us. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:7 (NIRV)
Compassionate God, you understand suffering better than we. And you could have avoided it. But you put yourself right into the middle of it through your Son, Christ Jesus, who voluntarily suffered for us. Sometimes I'm inclined to think of my suffering as unique. I have my own personal pity party. Help me to focus instead on the comfort that you are extending -- the healing that you are bringing -- the promises that you are fulfilling. I'm not going to let suffering get me down. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
