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. 9 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.
There are just certain things we do not know about Paul that we would like to ask him. What was the thorn in the flesh? What did he do for those 14 years in the wilderness before his missionary journeys? And this one. What was the affliction they experienced in Asia? Whatever it was, it was big, so big that death was on the table. Of course, once we are in heaven with Jesus, the answer to these questions will not matter a bit. What does matter though is the last sentence of this passage. Their trials were there so they would trust God instead of their own wits.
Despair creeps into my life at odd moments when I am overly busy or a little thing disrupts my day. I rely on the Lord for big things but despair at the drop of a hat. If this is you as well, we would all do well to learn from Paul’s experience and cast all of our burdens unto the Lord, even and especially the ones we think we can handle on our own. Today, may we be reliant on God for all the little things that come our way so that, when the big things come, we will be in the habit of trusting the Lord. If God can raise the dead, he can raise us when we are…
Burdened beyond our strength.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church