“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.”

Lately it seems I favor the Message Bible during my personal devotional time. I think it’s because Eugene Peterson paraphrased scripture in a way that makes the Bible speak so clearly to a highly relational gal like myself. The above verse recently came up in a conversation with a friend of mine as we chatted about how God never seems to waste the painful parts of our stories. He continually gives us opportunities to share with others so that they too can be spurred on to hope and change, a fresh start in walking hand in hand with Jesus wherever life may lead.

My favorite part of this passage is how it is titled, The Rescue. I can honestly say that there are people in my life that have come alongside me on my journey and it felt exactly like that. Like I was drowning in my life, surrounded by hurdling waves of anxiety and they arrived just in time to lift me out of an ocean of fear. They wrapped a blanket around me and rubbed my shoulders dry while all the while whispering, “it’s going to be ok. I am here. Jesus is here. You are safe. I will keep you warm. I have been out in that ocean myself a time or two.”

There is something so gracious and beautiful about someone being willing to share with you that they have been in the same boat.

Sharing our stories and our struggles is what reminds us that we are finite and human, dependent on a big God, and this inspires us to learn and grow and trust not only God more, but each other. It is just so freeing to hear someone else admit, “Yup, I have been there, done that.”

The word rescue is defined as “to save from distress.” We serve a God that tells us in His Word that He is our ultimate Rescuer. In other passages like Isaiah 43:1-3 He says,

“Do not be afraid—I will save you.

I have called you by name—you are mine.

When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you;

your troubles will not overwhelm you.

When you pass through fire, you will not be burned;

the hard trials that come will not hurt you.

For I am the Lord your God,

the holy God of Israel, who saves you.”

Our amazing God tells us that He will rescue us, and sometimes He will do this through people who will be a vital part of our rescue plan. Have you ever seen your story that way? Have you seen your life and your personal experiences as a means for God to encourage and rescue someone else from distress?

Or are you maybe currently being encouraged by such a brave soul sharing their story, warmed by glimmers of hope as you sit and listen, fresh out of a sea of difficult circumstances?

He won’t waste your pain if you let Him tell your story. But in order to do this, we have to get past the feelings of fear and shame that are usually what hide us from being vulnerable with our stories. The very thing we are afraid to share is going to help liberate ourselves and others. Each time we share the truth, the enemy is defeated.

God wants us to see our lives in light of this. We can find purpose in our pain by seeing that God has entrusted our story to us, and that He will also comfort others with the comfort we have been given. So when we look at our current relationships, we may begin to see how God beautifully orchestrated such timely friendships.

The other line I love from this passage in Corinthians is this, “We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.”

It’s liberating to be honest about how hard it is to follow Jesus sometimes. It’s so kind and empathetic of our Savior to place this truth in His Word to remind us that He knows. He knows it won’t be easy being obedient to Him in a world that attempts to operate outside of His hand.

We wrestle. And we wait. We are not yet to our Promised Land. But He is a merciful God, ever faithful to provide healing comfort in every season. So take heart. It won’t always be so dark. Light is coming to the rescue.

And that rescue for someone else may be through you.