双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：11月9日 神赐安慰

11月9日

神赐安慰

祂（耶稣）自己既然被试探而受苦，就能搭救被试探的人。

希伯来书2:18

我十几岁时，爱上了一个女孩，这可能是早恋。但对我来说，这“早恋”是真实的。尽管我们当时都太年轻，但还是暂时订了婚。然而，她心里纠结，她觉得上帝正把她引向另一个年轻人，他是我最好的朋友之一，而且已经是一个经验丰富的年轻牧师。我的心都碎了！记得我当时去找一个牧师朋友，寻求他的帮助。他让我读哥林多后书1:3-6：

愿颂赞归与我们的主耶稣基督的父神，就是发慈悲的父，赐各样安慰的神；我们在一切患难中，他就安慰我们，叫我们能用神所赐的安慰，去安慰那遭各样患难的人。……我们得安慰呢，也是为叫你们得安慰；这安慰能叫你们忍受我们所受的那样苦楚。

在患难中的我，从使徒的这段话得到了安慰，正如许多其他人一样。但事情远不止于此，保罗的这段话对苦难有了新的见解。简而言之，就是：我们不仅在试炼中得到安慰，而且我们的试炼可以使我们有能力去安慰别人。

这是一个不可否认的事实，通常那些受苦最多的人最有能力去安慰那些正在经历痛苦的人。我认识一些牧师，他们的事工因着苦难更显丰富。藉着试炼，他们学会了如何“经历”教区民众的苦难。他们能对他人的痛苦感同身受，因他们曾在自己的生命中经历过。

我们的苦难可能很艰苦，难以忍受，但它们让我们学了功课，装备了我们，使我们有能力去帮助别人。我们对待苦难的态度不应该是“咬紧牙关去忍受”，希望它能尽快过去。相反的，我们的目标应该是从神所要我们学习忍耐的事情中，学到我们所能学到的一切，这样我们就能像耶稣一样完成安慰人的事工。“他自己既然被试探而受苦，就能搭救被试探的人”（希伯来书2:18）。在事奉主的当中，受苦的人变成了安慰或帮助别人的人。

顺便说一句，神使我“忍受”苦难，让我遇见了我现在的好妻子，路得，她是神为我预备的。

今日祷告：

天父，当我受苦的时候，求祢帮助我，在苦难中保有良好的心态。求祢装备我，让我有能力去帮助别人，成为他们的祝福；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

November 9

GOD IS OUR COMFORT

Because he[Jesus]himself suffered when he was tempted,he is able to help those who are being tempted.Hebrews 2:18,NIV

Once when I was in my latter teens I was in love with a girl.It might have been puppy love,but it was real to me,the“puppy.”We became tentatively engaged to be married,even though we were both much too young.However,she was torn in her heart and felt that the Lord was leading her to another young man who was one of my best friends,and who was already an experienced young clergyman.I suffered a broken heart,and I remember going to a clergyman friend of mine to seek his help.He turned me to 2 Corinthians 1:3,4-6:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,who comforts us in all our troubles,so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God…if we are comforted,it is for your comfort,which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

From those words of the apostle I gained comfort for myself in my personal trouble,just as many others have also done.But there is more to it than that.This passage from Paul suggests a new insight into suffering.Briefly put,it is this:Not only are we comforted in our trials,but our trials can equip us to comfort others.

It is an undeniable fact that usually it is those who have suffered most who are best able to comfort others who are passing through suffering.I know of pastors whose ministries have been enriched by suffering.Through their trials they have learned to“live through”the difficulties of the people in their parish.They are able to empathize as well as sympathize with the afflictions of others because of what they have experienced in their own lives.

Our sufferings may be rough and hard to bear,but they teach us lessons which in turn equip and enable us to help others.Our attitude toward suffering should not be,“Grit your teeth and bear it,”hoping it will pass as quickly as possible.Rather,our goal should be to learn all we can from what we are called upon to endure,so that we can fulfill a ministry of comfort-as Jesus did.“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted,he is able to help those who are being tempted”(Hebrews 2:18,NIV).The sufferer becomes the comforter or helper in the service of the Lord.

By the way,“enduring”suffering,God led me to my wonderful wife,Ruth,who was His intended one for me.

Pray for the Day:

Father,when I am suffering,help me to have a good attitude in the midst of that.And I pray that You will equip me to help others and to be a blessing to them;in Jesus’Name,Amen.