To Be Delivered From Pressure, Trust in Jesus, Not In Yourself

The great apostle Paul wrote that he and his colleagues were under great pressure, “burdened excessively beyond our strength so that we despaired even of life; indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves” (as in the case of many cancer patients), “in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

“Under great pressure.” Can we identify with that? We all know the feeling when it seems the weight of the world is upon us. We can’t imagine how we’ll ever get through. We may even reach the point of thinking we would rather die and be done with it than have to endure any longer.

“But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God.” Paul’s explanation can be ours too. Of course, we do not know the workings of God’s purposes in allowing suffering in our lives, pain that can even take us to the breaking point. However, we can always know we are to rely on Him and not ourselves while going through circumstances. That is the reason we can accept whatever circumstances we are in: God is with us.

Paul concludes (v.10) God “delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And he will continue to deliver us.” God is our hope and deliverer, not just now in this situation. He was there in the past, and He will continue to be.

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The above was an excerpt from the Haven Ministries daily devotional, “Anchor” from May 9th, 2017.