“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” — 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
God of All Comfort
Former Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit fractured his right wrist shortly after the beginning of the 2009 season. He had gotten off to a good start, but even though he was able to return around the All-Star Game in the middle of the season, he didn’t really get back on track offensively until the last few weeks of the season. It was disappointing for him and the team, but not unexpected. People who knew about such injuries said it could take until the next year before he was completely recovered.
In an interview in late September 2009, manager John Russell said Ryan had become frustrated when he couldn’t hit as well as he wanted, but John explained to the young catcher that he had suffered the same type of injury and understood what he was going through. The manager told him that, as unlikely as it seemed now, Ryan would appreciate the struggles he went through during his time of healing. And that, one day, he would be a better player for it.
In 2011, Ryan had a career-high .303 batting average. In 2012, he joined the Twins and played 134 games, hitting a career-high 18 home runs. He played in career-high 135 games the next season, and ended up retiring after the 2014 season. He enjoyed a good MLB career over 10 seasons.
Like Ryan, nobody wants to encounter obstacles. But we’re all going to, the Bible promises that much. When we do, the trial can be easier if we receive help and comfort from others who have walked down the same path.
— Lois Thomson
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