THE ABC’S OF READING ST. PAUL—and an example to encourage you

I wouldn’t call St. Paul the master of the tweet.

It would take three full tweets, in fact, to cover 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 — and that’s one of his shorter quotables. But it’s definitely worth sending out to your friends, if only they’ll pause long enough to take it in:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow.” (NABRE)

Before you click on to something else, give me a minute to help you read it. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Here are the ABC’s of reading St. Paul:

A – Approach every sentence as though it’s a whole paragraph
B – Break it down into thoughts
C – Capture the meaning piece by piece

Let’s take that approach to 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. It doesn’t take much imagination to see it as a paragraph. Break it down thought by thought and read it to yourself (try it out loud) a line at a time:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of all compassion
and God of all encouragement,
who encourages us in our every affliction,
so that
we may be able to encourage
those who are in any affliction
with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.
For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us,
so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow.

Now let’s dive into the meaning. I’m going to take it in four parts — feel free to break it down further if you want:

1. Who God is

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of all compassion
and God of all encouragement,…

Paul starts by blessing God the Father of Jesus. Why? For being also “the Father of all compassion” and “the God of all encouragement.”

If you’re “the father of” something, you’re where that thing starts. You’re its source. So all compassion comes from God. Let that sink in. The God who Paul is speaking of is not the harsh, unfeeling, judgmental God who many fear; he is full of compassion. Therefore, he is also “God of all encouragement.” Some translations say “God of all comfort.” Either way, if compassion can be thought of as an attitude, encouragement and comfort put that attitude into action on our behalf. I get a picture of God looking out on us with fatherly love, seeking those who are in need.

Notice the “all” in both of these descriptions. All compassion. All encouragement. Even when we get them from other places, their ultimate source is in him (but more on that later).

2. What he does

…who encourages us in our every affliction,…

That godly encouragement (all of it) comes to us in every affliction. He must be paying close attention! There is nothing I might go through, that escapes him.

I note that encouragement is not the same as doing away with or solving. There are times when God allows affliction to remain, for reasons best known to himself. But if I am encouraged and comforted in that situation, I can almost forget the affliction or even be thankful in it because of his courage and comfort.

3. Why he does it

…so that…

Here’s the reason he takes such care:

…we may be able to encourage
those who are in any affliction
with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God….

I was kind of expecting “so that we can bear it.” But instead, Paul points out that it’s not only for our sake that God encourages us, but also for the fruit borne in our lives that can be offered to others.

“Those who are in any affliction.” Not that I can necessarily solve their problems. But I can encourage and comfort people who don’t know God or who for whatever reason aren’t receiving the encouragement he offers, whatever they are going through, because God pours out so much on me, there is plenty to share.

4. How it works

…For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us,
so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow.

This last verse goes deep. Here’s what strikes me right now: the movement from Christ to us of suffering, yes, and of encouragement but not just any encouragement, encouragement that overflows (not to but) through Christ. Where? It must be to others. This is what it is to be part of the Body of Christ. To be so intimately connected that we share not just in his suffering but in a consolation and encouragement that is so plentiful we can’t contain it. The sharing flows out of our brokenness, to others, through Christ. He reaches those others through me and through you.

We are his hands and feet, as the saying goes. We can be instruments of compassion if we don’t hoard to ourselves what he gives us.

I think of how often I’ve commiserated with others instead of sharing the encouragement I’ve received. Lord, help me not to stockpile your comfort, but let it overflow!

Back to Paul and his untweetable quotes.

Maybe you can post this verse, too long to tweet, as an image instead — along with 140 characters of how God has encouraged you. May your encouragement overflow!

 

©2019 Sarah Christmyer