“We were burdened excessively, beyond our strength … we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead … He will yet deliver us.”—2 Corinthians 1:8–10
The reality is that all of us experience problems—even great men of God like Paul. He wrote to the Corinthians that he was “burdened excessively” in ways that were beyond his strength. He “despaired even of life.” Yet he emerged victorious. Facing situations like these brought power to his ministry. As he looked back, he realized that troubles like these forced him to trust God and kept him from trusting his abilities. They also stretched him beyond his limits and made him see how vulnerable he was without God. He needed to depend on Him. God provided everything he needed. When we go through situations that test and challenge us, it may be natural to feel discouraged and hopeless. But we need to learn from Paul’s example and realize that in every situation, we need to trust God. We need to be sensitive to His Spirit so that He might show us what to do and what He is accomplishing. Through every situation, remember to place your hope in God. Look to Him for the wisdom, protection, and deliverance you need.Truly, He can raise the dead. He can turn a situation that seems hopeless into a victory. He can open doors that seem closed. He can provide answers when no answers seem possible. You can hope in God no matter what you are going through! Trust Him to deliver you!
Reflection Question: Write a prayer thanking God for being with you in every situation.
