Pass It On
God comforts us so we can comfort others. Learn how to pass on God’s comfort through the Holy Spirit and His fruit of kindness and gentleness.
Good morning, friend. Have you ever noticed that the people who comfort us best are often the ones who have hurt the most? That is no accident. Today’s Scripture shows us that God’s comfort was never meant to stop with us. Instead, it is meant to be passed on.
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Opening Worship Song: Pass It On
Kurt Kaiser wrote this beloved chorus in 1969, and generations of believers have sung it around campfires and in churches ever since. It pictures God’s love spreading like one small spark that grows into a warm fire. Once we have experienced that love, we cannot help but share it.
Scripture Focus
Paul begins with praise to the God who comforts us for a purpose:
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.
— 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (ESV)
Before the cross, Jesus promised to send a Helper, often called the Comforter:
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
— John 16:7 (ESV)
At Pentecost, that promise was fulfilled:
“And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”
— Acts 2:2 (ESV)“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
— Acts 2:4 (ESV)
Finally, Paul describes the fruit the Spirit grows in every believer:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
— Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV)
Together, these passages trace a beautiful path. God comforts us, sends His Spirit to live in us, and then grows fruit in us that blesses others. Let’s look at what that means for today.
Life Application: How to Pass On God’s Comfort
Comfort Comes With a Purpose
Paul opens his second letter to the Corinthians with praise. He calls the Lord the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Then he explains why God comforts us. It is not only for our own relief. Instead, God comforts us so that we can comfort others.
Think of it as a gift meant to be shared. When God carries you through a hard season, He is also preparing you for someone else’s hard season. In other words, your healed hurt can become another person’s hope.
The Comforter Jesus Promised
On the night before the cross, Jesus told His disciples something surprising. He said it was to their advantage that He go away. How could losing Jesus possibly be good news? Because He would send the Helper. The Greek word, paraklētos, describes one who comes alongside to help. For that reason, older translations such as the King James Version call Him the Comforter.
Then, on the day of Pentecost, that promise came true. A sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the house, and every believer there was filled with the Holy Spirit. As a result, the same Spirit who comforted those first disciples now lives in every follower of Jesus. You never face your trials alone.
The Fruit We Pass Along
So what does the Comforter produce in us? Paul answers in Galatians 5. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Notice that this is fruit, not effort. We do not manufacture it by willpower. Rather, it grows as we stay close to Jesus. Of course, fruit is never meant only for the tree. It nourishes others.
That is the heart of today’s message. What we receive from Jesus through the Holy Spirit, we are equipped to pass on to those who need comfort.
Small Sparks, Real Comfort
Passing on comfort doesn’t require a stage or a sermon. Often it looks very ordinary. It might be a phone call to a friend who just lost a spouse. It could be a patient word to a stressed coworker. Perhaps it means sitting quietly beside someone in a hospital waiting room. Even a handwritten note can carry the warmth of Christ.
Furthermore, your own story matters. If God brought you through a job loss, an illness, or a broken relationship, someone near you is walking that road right now. Because you have been there, your comfort will mean more.
Start With One Act Today
Here is a simple suggestion for today. Choose one fruit of the Spirit, perhaps gentleness or kindness, and show it to one person. Ask the Holy Spirit to point you toward someone who needs it. Then pass on God’s comfort the same way it was given to you: freely, warmly, and in Jesus’ name.
Like a single spark that starts a warm fire, one act of kindness can spread further than you imagine. Most importantly, it points another heart to the God of all comfort.
A Word of Encouragement
The English preacher John Henry Jowett captured today’s truth in one memorable line that is widely attributed to him:
“God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.”
— John Henry Jowett (widely attributed)
The comfort you have received is already the beginning of the comfort you can give.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Thank You, Jesus, for sending the Holy Spirit to walk beside me. I praise You for every time You have carried me through affliction. Today, please open my eyes to someone who is hurting. Fill me with Your love, kindness, and gentleness so I can comfort them as You have comforted me. Give me the courage to reach out and the wisdom to know what to say. Let my small act of kindness point them to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Closing Worship Song: Holy Spirit
Francesca Battistelli’s moving rendition of this worship song, written by Bryan and Katie Torwalt, is a heartfelt invitation for the Holy Spirit to fill the room. It reminds us that His presence is what changes us. Let it carry today’s message into a moment of quiet worship as you ask the Comforter to work through you.
Keep Growing in Christ
If today’s devotion encouraged you, we would love to walk with you every morning. As you go, look for one person today with whom you can pass on God’s comfort through a simple act of gentleness or kindness.
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The cost is zero…the value is priceless and eternal.
Please share this devotion with family and friends who may need a word of comfort today.
Acknowledgments
We thank:
- Pixabay for free, high-quality artwork.
- AZ Quotes for inspirational quotations.
- YouTube Gospel Music for timeless worship songs.
- We recommend GotQuestions.org for further Bible study.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Have a wonderful day and keep your eyes on Jesus and your spirits high.
Johnny
“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” — Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)