I was having an allergic reaction as I awakened from a complicated open-heart surgery. I was a mess, with a tube down my throat. My body began shaking violently. At one point, a nurse’s assistant to the right side of my bed reached down and simply held my hand. It was an unexpected move, and it struck me as especially gentle. I began to relax, which caused my body to stop shaking so badly.

Having experienced this with other patients, the nurse’s assistant knew that a hand of comfort could minister to me as well. It was a vivid example of how God uses comfort when His children suffer.

Comfort is a powerful and memorable tool for any caregiver, and Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 that it’s an important part of God’s toolbox. God multiplies the impact of His comfort by telling us to use the memory of the comfort He gives us to comfort others (VV. 4–7). It is another sign of His great love, and it’s one we can share with others—sometimes in the simplest of gestures.