One of the most encouraging passages of scripture is 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. Have you ever felt like the weight of the world was on your shoulders? Have you ever laughed at people who told you that God never gives you more than you can handle? Have you ever just wanted to throw in the towel and quit? The apostle Paul was in a similar situation and he records his testimony in this amazing passage of scripture.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

⁸ We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹ Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our^[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

You can’t be any further down than Paul was in this passage. Great pressure….far beyond his ability to endure….he despaired of life and felt the sentence of death in his heart. But he says there was a purpose behind the pain. The purpose was so that Paul would trust God and not himself. So easy to say and yet so difficult to live.

Are you going through a tough time right now? I don’t want to be presumptuous but perhaps the purpose of your current trial is to teach you to trust in the God who raises the dead. Sometimes God doesn’t want us to hold on but rather to let go. He may let us exhaust all of our resources so that we can learn to trust in his power and ability.

Would love to hear your feedback on this and I hope this post encourages you.