How often do we feel grace and peace when we go through trials? Not often;  unless we pray, renew our minds with the Word of God and allow Him to change  our perspective. The Book of 2 Corinthians 1 gives us perspective and  understanding into our suffering as Christians. The whole chapter is a letter of  encouragement to those going through trials.  

Apostle Paul opens this letter with a promising greeting: “Grace and peace  to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:2). The  chapter continues to highlight God’s character: “the Father of compassion and the  God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). 

Few verses later, we read an astonishing statement from Paul (a great man of  faith): “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” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

Immediately following those verses, Paul reveals the purpose of trials and  most likely, the purpose of many of our trials: “But this happened that we might  not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9).  

Was the sentence of death that Paul felt in his heart truth? No, it was his  perception while in the trial. But after the trial ended, Paul realized that God was in  control at all times. Just like Paul, we need to trust God not our perception or  circumstances. Even the Bible tells us that “the heart is deceiving about all things”  (Jeremiah 17:9), and to “Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our  own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). 

My heart is with all of you who go through trials and sufferings, for I myself  experience plenty of them. But with every trial I experience, there is less reliance  on myself and more trusting in God. Just like you, I am learning to put my faith in  Him and rely on Him (not on myself). Just as God helped Paul, he will help us too,  for God is faithful and worthy of our praise: ”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” (2 Corinthians 1:10). 

Love to all! 

#faith #spiritualwarfare #fight #peace #opposition #God #stand #Jesus #trials  #suffering #trustinGod #trust #reliance #confidence