2 CORINTHIANS 1:8-10 – For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

In reading today’s scripture, we marvel over the transparency and vulnerability displayed by the greatest Christian ever to live – the Apostle Paul. If we entertained the thought that Paul was some super Christian who always lived on the mountaintops of joy, we may dismiss those faulty views immediately.  The level of pain he is experiencing in today’s scripture is not light.  He describes himself as a man reaching the end of his rope.  He isn’t depressed. He is despairing, even to the point, of death!  And here is the staggering truth; it was God Himself who put His child in this difficult place of suffering. Does that make God cruel? Never. It makes Him wise. He has positioned the great Apostle right where He wanted him to learn the most valuable lesson in all the Christian life – confident reliance upon God.

Christian, where you are right now is exactly where God wants you.  This assumes you are facing a difficult trial which is every believer’s lot.  It has been said, “We are either in a trial, coming out of trial, or preparing for a trial.”  So, one of those three “trial options” applies to each of us.  And what is the purpose of all trials?  Allow the Apostle Peter to tell us . . .

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9).

Trials are given by the Lord for the testing and maturing of our faith in this life, and to deepen our longing for heaven and the work of salvation completed.  If we learn to interpret our trials through these purposes of God instead of focusing on the pain in our trials, we will experience what Peter states – joy inexpressible and filled with glory.  And when those divine gifts, joy and glory, are ours, we give forth glowing testimonies of the grace of God in the Lord Jesus.  We then offer the world the true nature and picture of the Christian life.

So, start rejoicing, tried believer. God loves you and has placed you right where He wants you for His glory and your good.

PRAYER: “Father, enable me to see beyond the pain in my trials to Your purpose of my trials.”

QUOTE: “God takes us to places in life where we have no strength to go so we will truly rely on Him.”