Pages 272-273
“Ah, here it is.” Chaplain Miller’s finger paused on the text. “Among several Greek words the New Testament uses for comfort, two are parakaleo and paraklesis. They are legal terms.”
The part of Stefan that belonged to his vocation sat up and took notice.
“These words communicate a summons a person gives to another requiring him or her to stand by in a supporting role. Knowing that Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 that God is the ‘God of all comfort,’ the implication is God has a legal obligation to comfort. But what is this comfort to which God is obligated?”
Frowning, Stefan thought he knew the answer to the chaplain’s question and didn’t like it. Instead, he said, “What kind of God would repeatedly ignore the cries of his children? How is that the God of comfort?”
“Stefan, the difficult news is when God promises comfort, it doesn’t mean he uses an emotional eraser within us, and our difficulties are gone. That is not a reality in this life. The good news is he does promise he will stand beside us and go through the process of pain with us.” Chaplain Miller shook his head. “What I have a hard time understanding is why God thinks I am so valuable that he’s willing to stand with me through my pain.”
