2 Corinthians, 1
23. But I call God to witness against me -- it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth.
23. But I call God to witness against me -- it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth.
Chapter 1 of 2 Corinthians talks about God's comfort in the midst of the afflictions and tribulations that Christians face. Paul encourages Corinthians to trust God at all times and share their own experience of Divine suffering and comfort. He emphasizes that God is the Father of Mercies and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our tribulation so that we can comfort others who also go through difficulties.
Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and fortress, a good help in anguish." This verse shows that God is our refuge and fortress, the same theme of 2 Corinthians 1.
2 Corinthians 7:6: "But God, who comforts the slaughtered, comforted us with the coming of Titus." Here Paul reinforces that God is the one who comforts those who are suffering, and Tito was an instrument used by God to bring comfort to Paul and the Corinthians.
Isaiah 49:13: "Exulting, O heavens, and rejoices, O earth, and you, mountains, crackle with joy, for the Lord has consolved his people, and his afflicted shall be sympathized." This verse shows that God is the one who comforts his people in his afflictions and suffering, just as Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians 1.
Psalm 34:18: "Near the Lord of those who have a broken heart and save the contrite of spirit." This verse talks about how God is close to those who have a broken heart, which is a common theme in 2 Corinthians 1.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10: "In everything we are troubled but not distressed; perplexed but not discouraged. Persecuted but not helpless; slaughtered but not destroyed; always bringing in the body to die from Jesus, so that they may also yours life manifests itself in our body. " This stretch of 2 Corinthians 4 talks about the difficulties that Christians face, but that they do not leave them discouraged, for the life of Jesus manifests itself in their bodies. This theme relates to the 2 Corinthian comfort and consolation message 1.
“A divina bondade não só não rejeita as almas arrependidas, como também vai em busca das almas teimosas”. São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina