八福
哀伤的目的
经文
哥林多后书一1-11
1奉神旨意作基督耶稣使徒的保罗和兄弟提摩太，写信给在哥林多神的教会，并亚该亚遍处的众圣徒。
2愿恩惠、平安从神我们的父和主耶稣基督归与你们！
3愿颂赞归与我们的主耶稣基督的父神，就是发慈悲的父，赐各样安慰的神。
4我们在一切患难中，他就安慰我们，叫我们能用神所赐的安慰去安慰那遭各样患难的人。
5我们既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。
6我们受患难呢，是为叫你们得安慰，得拯救；我们得安慰呢，也是为叫你们得安慰；这安慰能叫你们忍受我们所受的那样苦楚。
7我们为你们所存的盼望是确定的，因为知道你们既是同受苦楚，也必同得安慰。
8弟兄们，我们不要你们不晓得，我们从前在亚西亚遭遇苦难，被压太重，力不能胜，什至连活命的指望都绝了；
9自己心里也断定是必死的，叫我们不靠自己，只靠叫死人复活的神。
10他曾救我们脱离那极大的死亡，现在仍要救我们，并且我们指望他将来还要救我们。
11你们以祈祷帮助我们，好叫许多人为我们谢恩，就是为我们因许多人所得的恩。
信息分享
今天我们继续来思考主的第二福：「哀恸的人有福了！因为他们必得安慰」。（有福可以解作快乐）「哀恸」这个词不单指因为亲爱的人死去而哀伤，牠也包括生命中所有我们感到受压、破碎或悲痛的经验。我觉得在这节经文的译本中，翻译得最好的是昨天引述的菲力浦斯译本。让我在这里再次引述：「知道什么是哀伤的人是快乐的，因为他们将得到勇气和安慰。」
为什么我说，那些受困于沮丧或哀伤痛苦中的人应该受到祝贺？经文的结论提供了答案：「因为他们必得安慰」。然后呢？那就是用他们所得到的安慰去安慰别人。请你再思想今天引用的经文，或者参考菲力浦斯（J B Phillips）译本所说的：「在我们的所有考验中，他安慰我们，以致我们能够以一种强烈的同理心，去扶持那些有困难的人。」
我在给基督徒辅导员提供培训的时候，有一件总是触动我的事情，就是最好的辅导员往往是那些能够理解深刻伤痛的人。主有没有容许你身处逆境？有的话，恭喜你！你可以接受神的安慰，而这安慰会让你对别人的需要更敏锐，也会加强你在基督里的服事。无论你做什么，都不要求神将你从痛苦和哀伤的经验中释放出来，因为相比你所付出的代价，这些经历将为你带来更大的价值。
「我面对困难的态度将会彻底转变」
进深研究
约十六1-16，十四26，十五26；林前十四31；帖前五11-14
1. 我们从哪里得到安慰？
2. 「安慰」这个词对你有什么意义？
祈祷
亲爱的主，求您帮助我掌握今天所学习的真理，不只在头脑上也在我的灵里。我意识到只要我能学懂这个真理，我面对困难的态度就会彻底转变。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。
The Beatitudes
The purpose of Sorrow
Bible reading:
2 Corinthians 1:1-11
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Message
We continue meditating on our Lord's second Beatitude: "Blessed [or happy] are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." The word "mourn" has reference to more than just sorrowing over the death of a loved one; it includes all those experiences in life where we may feel crushed, broken or sorrowful. I feel the best translation of this verse is the one given by J. B. Phillips which I quoted yesterday. Permit me to quote it once again: "Happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort."
Why should people who are caught up in the throes of distressing and sorrowful experiences be congratulated? The conclusion of the verse gives the answer: "for they will be comforted". And what then? Out of the comfort they receive, they are able to give comfort to others. Examine the text at the top of this page again, or listen to it as J. B. Phillips paraphrases it: "For he gives us comfort in all our trials so that we in turn may be able to give the same sort of strong sympathy to others in their troubles."
One of the things which often intrigues me in my work of training Christian counsellors is the fact that the best counsellors are those who have known the deepest hurts. Has the Lord allowed you to go through deep waters? Congratulations! You are a candidate for receiving the divine comfort which, in turn, will deepen your sensitivity to others and enrich your ministry in the Body of Christ. Don't, whatever you do, ask God to deliver you from painful or sorrowful experiences - they are worth much, much more than they cost.
"My entire approach to problems can be transformed"
Prayer
Blessed Lord, help me to grasp this fact, not just with my mind, but with the whole of my spirit. I see that if I can learn this truth, my entire approach to problems can be transformed. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Further study
John 16:1-16; 14:26; 15:26
1 Corinthians 14:31
1 Thessalonians 5:11-14
1. From where do we receive our comfort?
2. What does the word "comfort" mean to you?
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