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Isaiah 40:1-2 "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins."

 

The Lord does not want us to suffer, but He does want us to be saved. Attaining the latter is far more important than avoiding the former. In fact, in our fallen state, the only way to salvation is through suffering. We think our sin is giving us comfort, we wouldn't do it if we didn't get some sort of pleasure or relief from it. But the comfort of sin is fleeting. It quickly evaporates and leaves us feeling worse than before, often causing us to double down, getting into a worse place, until finally we wake up and turn back to God. Then God extends His comfort, the only comfort that lasts.

 

When God gives His comfort to Jerusalem, it is only after she has received double for all her sins. Jerusalem had to be cleansed in order to be brought back. She has suffered immensely, but that suffering has emptied her of her sin and humbled her before God so He can now fill her with nothing but good. God will do the same for us. That is the comfort that comes from suffering. It is well worth the price.