more than we can handle

In the midst of his missionary journeys, the apostle Paul encountered countless troubles, nearly being killed on several occasions. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he describes one of those times:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. (2 Corinthians 1:8–11, NIV).

Let me make three quick observations on this brief passage.

1. Paul and those who were with him were burdened beyond their strength “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.” We are not alone when we feel completely overwhelmed by the stuff that happens in life.
2. Having utterly depleted his own resources, Paul was forced to rely on God. This is so true to life; we would much rather rely on ourselves, our routines, our basic cheeriness, even our theological assumptions. When all that is taken away, we are forced to rely on God, who, of course, turns out to be the only reliable one, anyway.
3. Today, no matter what is happening or not happening in our world, I pray that we will be able to remember God’s track record of provision and trustworthiness, and be moved to say with Paul, “On Him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.” We need this encouragement from one another.

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