Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort
2 Corinthians 1:3
He gives comfort
We see in the body that if any member is hurt, the blood runs immediately to comfort the wounded part. The man himself, eye, tongue and hand is altogether involved in that wounded member, as if he were forgetful of all the rest. So in the family, if one of the children is sick, all the care and kindness of the mother is concentrated on that sick child, to the extent that all the rest begin as it were to envy his sickness. If nature does thus, will not God, who is the author of nature, do much more? For if an earthly mother reacts in that way to a sickly and suffering child, will not the Heavenly Father, who has an infinite, incredible and tender love for his people?
This is the difference between God and the world. The world runs after those that rejoice in prosperity, as the rivers run to the sea where there is water enough already. But God comforts us in our tribulations. His name and style is, he ‘comforts those that are cast down.’ The world forsakes those that are in poverty, disgrace and want; but God promises most of his presence to them that holy, meekly and patiently bear the afflictions which he lays upon them. And one drop of this honey is enough to sweeten the bitterest cup that ever they drank of. If God be with us, if the power of Christ will rest upon us, then we may even glory in infirmities, as Paul did.
— Thomas Manton, A Homiletic Encyclopedia, p. 202 (H.E.)
From Daily Devotions from the Puritans – the 1997 Bryntirion Press book by I.D.E. Thomas