Hello again!
Today we’re going from first to second Corinthians. — This is what God gave me today in His word:
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. (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)
God’s strength is shown best when we are weakest. Paul despaired of life itself; he thought he was going to die. Yet God rescued them, thus showing His power. This isn’t a lesson people like to learn, as it gives us a glimpse at just how feeble we really are, and no-one likes that. But, have you ever heard the expression, “If it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger.”? In this case, that expression is exactly right. God won’t let “it” (whatever “it” may be) kill our faith, and thus whatever trial we’re in, will “only make us stronger” in our faith.
In everything, God is sovereign. This includes trails. Though God can never be the author of evil, He does give the Devil permission to do things. So, in this way, what the Devil intends for evil, God uses for our good and His glory. Every trial is for our good, in that when God brings us out of it, we can’t help but trust Him more (“On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”). And it works for God’s glory, by allowing Him to show a bit of His power through us.
That being said, we aren’t to go throwing ourselves at possibly life threatening situations unless we hear, as Paul apparently did, a clear call from God to do so. – on a side-note, God will only ever call us to do something that will build up the Kingdom, so if you think God’s calling you to do something evil, it’s not God calling. – In which case, you should of course, go.
The point being this: even if we think we’re tempted beyond all reason, or if we’re in a life-threatening situation, God will work through that for our good and His glory.
You are Loved!
Joshua Cleveland
Joshua's Blog 