Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV)

 

Wounded healers are not working to avoid any pain or suffering.

They do not hide their wounds or pretend that they are all right when everything inside feels raw and painful. They don’t ignore their problems, but they also don’t use them as an excuse. They accept the inevitability of life's unpredictability rather than attempting to avoid it. This vulnerability serves as a cornerstone of trust and a testimony to God's love and faithfulness. Even when imprisoned, the Apostle Paul wrote numerous letters to churches and people to encourage them in their faith. He would tell them about how he suffered physically and emotionally for the sake of the gospel, and yet he enjoyed such an unspeakable joy in Christ.

Wounded healers are lovers of God and lovers of people.

We have been wounded at one point in our lives, and the experience of our wound can be a gift of comfort and solace. As children of God, it is our privilege and responsibility to be a blessing to our brothers and sisters and to all those around us. Instead of hiding in shame or becoming bitter, the Apostle Paul teaches us that we can trust God to use our pain and sorrows to bring comfort to someone else.

Comforting one another builds faith and courage.

When we offer comfort and a message of hope to another person, we are saying to them, "You are not alone, and I believe in you." I have never met anyone who doesn’t want to be loved or appreciated or respected. However, I've met many people who hate Christianity (and Christians) because we've done a poor job of representing Christ.

We have a responsibility to address this credibility gap. Let’s start by considering the people we meet and know, and how we can take small steps to journey with them. Don't turn them into a project to be fixed; instead, genuinely love and value the person they are, as well as care about them. We are blessed to be a blessing. We can do no less. After all, we are simply following the footsteps of Christ our Saviour.