我和丈夫剛從超市回到家，我就迫不急待地翻找購物袋，但怎麼也找不到裝著甜甜圈的袋子。我仔細地查看收據，才發現我們根本沒買。我沮喪地喊道：「整個超市我就只想要個甜甜圈！」十五分鐘後，我丈夫遞給我一袋甜甜圈。原來他又冒著風雪，悄悄出門幫我買回來了。我緊緊抱住他，不好意思地說：「還好你沒為了滿足我的欲望而出什麼意外！」

我通常不會因為甜甜圈而這麼激動！只是那幾天真的心力交瘁，所以我想吃個甜甜圈來安慰自己，而丈夫的關愛與體貼，讓我感受到了更深的喜樂。

欲望得滿足只能帶來短暫的安慰。如保羅所說，真正持久的安慰是來自「賜各樣安慰的上帝」（哥林多後書1章3節）。

保羅理解哥林多信徒內心深處的掙扎與需要。他和他們一樣，每天都面對試煉，甚至因信仰而遭逼迫。但因上帝安慰他，所以他也能安慰這些信徒（4節）。

當我們傷心難過時，可以轉向耶穌，祂滿有憐憫和安慰（5節）。在祂那裡，我們能得到安慰，而當我們經歷祂的安慰時，就能將這份安慰帶給其他人。

I couldn’t wait. My husband and I had just returned from the grocery store; and as we unloaded the groceries, I frantically searched—but couldn’t find the donut bag. Then I checked the receipt. No donuts. Frustrated, I cried out, “All I wanted from the store was a donut!” Fifteen minutes later, my husband handed me a bag of donuts. He’d braved the snow again and snuck out to buy them. After squeezing him tightly, I sheepishly said, “I’m glad you didn’t get into an accident just to appease my craving!”

I don’t usually get that worked up about a donut! But it had been an emotionally draining week, and so I sought solace in a donut—and I experienced a much deeper joy through the love and compassion of my husband.

The kind of comfort we may get from satisfying our cravings is always short-lived. As the apostle Paul shared with the Corinthians, true—and lasting—comfort comes from the “God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).

Paul understood his readers’ deep struggles and needs. Like them he faced daily trials, including persecution for his faith. And because God had comforted him, he was able to comfort them (v. 4).

When we’re hurting, we can turn to Jesus, who abounds in compassion and comfort (v. 5). There we find solace. And when we’ve experienced His comfort, we can extend it to others.