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.”
THEME OF THE DAY: A PLACE GOD TAKES US. It might not be today, or maybe it was yesterday, regardless, all of us are going to go to this place. No child of God gets a detour. I admit it isn’t a pleasant place, but it is a necessary place, and if we respond appropriately, the results are worth the visit, and we will actually thank God for taking us to this place. Where is it? It is where we find the Apostle Paul in today’s scripture – at the end of himself.
In writing to the believers in Corinth, the Apostle Paul did not hold back the reality of the Christian life. By the way, his example is ours. We cannot lessen the demands Jesus places upon those who would be His followers. It is a false gospel that simply calls upon someone to “ask Jesus in your heart” or say, “God has a wonderful plan for your life if you will believe in Jesus.” No, we must proclaim “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). If we don’t, we contribute to people believing they are Christians and have a false assurance based only on a decision made, not a life change by new birth. Back to the Apostle Paul.
The greatest Christian ever to live cries out, “I am at the end of myself. No strength left. I am depressed, even despairing. Exhausted. It feels like death. Barely hanging on.” Pause for a moment. If a brother or sister in the Lord came to you with tears flowing and said those things to you, what counsel would you give them? Maybe something like, “I will pray for you. Cling to the promises of God, and particularly Romans 8:28 – all things work together for good to those who love God.” Well, if we said that to the Apostle Paul, I imagine him looking at us through tear-stained eyes and saying, “You don’t get it. God is doing this to me. He is taking me to this place of brokenness.” And he would be right. Here is what he said, “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.”
God put the Apostle Paul, and he will us, in the Refiner’s fire. It is the place of purging; purging of self-sufficiency, reliance upon one’s own strength, ability, reasoning. And the goal of this painful but good work of God is to deepen our confidence and trust in Him.
So, how do we respond? Like Paul. Don’t complain. Submit and ask the Lord to show us in this place of purging is one of the highest expressions of His love to us; conforming us into the image of His Son.
PRAYER: “Father, when things are hard, difficulties in life abound, keep me from doubting You.”
QUOTE: “God takes us to the end of ourselves so we may find our all in all in Him.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim