Reconfort Affliction: Expositing 3-7
By Anthony Casperson
5-10-25

In the video gaming sphere, the game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has recently attracted a lot of attention. (And is the inspiration for the odd title of this week’s blog.) It’s a thoroughly French game—down to the baguettes, berets, and mimes—that also draws deeply from classic Japanese RPGs, like the Final Fantasy series, and utilizes certain mechanics from modern games, like Elden Ring and other Souls-like games.

The game flew under most gamers’ radar until it was suddenly the thing to talk about. Even I didn’t know enough about it to be excited until a couple of weeks before its release back at the end of last month. And although I have yet to play the game, watching other people’s playthroughs has sated my desire to experience it until I get a chance to play it.

From what I’ve seen in the game’s first act—and worry not, I won’t spoil anything that isn’t clear from the tutorial area—the idea of grief and loss is a major theme. Even the main premise hints at this subject.

Sixty-seven years previous to the game’s start, a mysterious figure known as the Paintress began to paint a number on her monolith. Her numbers counted down every year, beginning with 100, and have gotten all the way down to this year’s 33. When the new number is painted, everyone who exceeds that many years of age dies. This is called the Gommage. And the manner of death reminds me of the dusting from the snap in the MCU.

In the tutorial area, players follow Gustave, a man who has joined this year’s expedition to stop the Paintress, and Sophie, the woman whom Gustave still loves regardless of the fact that they broke up years ago. This is Sophie’s year to Gommage, which the pair somberly celebrate along with the rest of the city’s soon-to-die residents.

Grief surrounds the discussions of the many NPCs with whom the player can talk. Anger wells up in some. Others turn to alcohol. A number spend every last minute close to their loved ones. And one couple even decided to go out enjoying the company of one another. While few take the reserved acceptance of Sophie, everyone grieves the inevitable loss.

And we all know this won’t be the end of the grief and loss in the game.

Some might be wondering why people would want to play a game like this. It really sounds kinda depressing. A major downer, honestly. Why subject yourself to the raw nature of grief? Why choose to be reminded of the losses you’ve also experienced over the years? Who would choose to experience suffering and affliction?

In a way, all stories have a bit of vicariousness to them. We consider ourselves in that situation. Or consider how our own experiences match up to it. We’re able to empathize with the characters. And either find comfort in the camaraderie of shared experience, or find a way to comfort those who’ve had this experience.

These experiences allow us to find comfort in our affliction, or to comfort our fellow afflicted.

As I thought about this idea of grief and helping others with grief, I came across the words of 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. (And the following exposition of these verses gives us the other half of blog title.)

These verses are the beginning of Paul’s letter, after the obligatory naming of the sender and the recipients. The Apostle has much to address in this second letter to the people of Corinth, but he starts here with comfort and affliction. Specifically, reminding the Corinthians that God is the one who comforts us in our affliction.

But through God’s comfort, he builds in us the ability to comfort others who are in any affliction. We’re able to share with those who suffer. Empathize and comfort the afflicted. This perspective is among the only good to come from such difficulties in our lives. At least we can be like God for others. Use our pain to aid in the healing of someone else. Work with God to bring comfort to the afflicted.

Paul even reminds us in verse 5 that our faith finds its center in Christ’s suffering. We share in his sufferings on the cross because of his death for us. But since that’s true, we also get to share in the comforts of his resurrection. The new life that he brings to us. Comfort that we get to share with one another for this life and the next.

The Apostle desires to emphasize this idea to his audience because they’ve become ashamed of his suffering for the faith. Later on, in chapter 11, he speaks of their newfound interest in people called “super-apostles.” Those who take great pride in their eloquence and charismatic demeanor. But truthfully, are only trying to deceive others with a false gospel that looks good to the self-made Corinthians. A doctrine that removes affliction, suffering, grief, and loss from the equation.

But in that doctrine, no comfort can be found. When we remove the sufferings of Jesus from our faith, then we also remove the ability to find comfort in his resurrection. To deny or run away from the suffering of this fallen human existence, we miss out on God’s comfort. And the ability to share that comfort with the afflicted.

Instead, we should boast in our weaknesses. Not because we are weak, but because then God’s strength can shine through the weakness. His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). We allow the God of all comfort to comfort us and teach us to comfort others.

This is why, back in 2 Corinthians 1:6-7, Paul speaks so positively of his own affliction. His weakness and sufferings aren’t something to be ashamed of. They’re something to cause us to stand back and witness the great comfort of God.

If he’s afflicted, it’s so that they can learn to see the comfort God provides to one who faithfully continues even as they suffer. And if he is comforted, it is for their comfort, which they experience while enduring the sufferings of the world. Whether he suffers or is comforted, his focus is on how others can be comforted in their own lives because of what they see in him.

We, likewise, should have the perspective of Paul. Any affliction, suffering, grief, or loss is not something to run away from. It’s not something to be embarrassed of. Rather, it’s something to find comfort in. The encouragement of the God who comforts us. And in so experiencing that, we can join God in comforting other afflicted people.

Why do we often gravitate toward stories of loss and grief? Because we want to feel comfort in the midst of our grief. And also comfort those who grieve. It’s something that God built into us. And something that followers of Jesus are commanded to do. Weep with those who weep.

Let us not forget the truth of grief and affliction for those who belong to the family of God. He is the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort. Let us seek comfort with others’ stories, yes. But even more in the comfort of God himself.