From time to time Christian authors, in writing about counseling, submit as as their bonafides that they once had such and such a problem. While in 2 Corinthians 1 we are advised to help others with the same help that Jesus gave us in our problems, it does not say that this qualifies us as experts on any matter. When these authors describe their long struggles, particularly when these lasted over long periods of time, they are admitting that they didn’t find the biblical answers to them.

Note that the passage speaks about discussing the HELP, not about analyzing the problem. As a matter of fact, Paul expects us to find that the same divine help is there for ANY problem. It is upon that help that Paul wants us to focus. If I want to learn how to swing a bat so as to make home runs, I don’t turn for help to the person who has a long record of failure in doing so, but to the one who has a successful home run average for a long time. Having been divorced, for instance, hardly qualifies one for counseling others about marriage. Let’s talk about Christ’s faithful, wonderful, helpful grace—not all about our problems!