“I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through…We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again.” 2 Corinthians 1:8 – 10 (TLB)
Have you ever been in a perilous situation where you felt “crushed and overwhelmed,” where the circumstances were so dire that you feared you might not live through it, and you were powerless to help yourself? It’s these types of extreme difficulties that drive us to our knees…because we have no where else to go. At some point we come to the end of ourselves, and we have nothing left to cling to except God Himself. During severe trials, our faith is stretched beyond the limits, and it emerges on the other side of the hardship much stronger and deeper than ever before. When we experience such extraordinary suffering, we learn to rely not on our own strength or abilities for deliverance, but only on God. We learn to set our hope on Him alone and trust that the One who raised the dead can surely save us too!
It is our precious Savior who says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He graciously speaks peace into troubled souls, calms our raging fears, comforts with His tender mercies, binds up the broken-hearted, heals the most painful wounds, strengthens the weak, and provides hope and joy during the heaviest of sorrows. We must learn to put everything in the capable hands of our Heavenly Father who loves us and who alone can save us.
everyday encouragement 