We don’t know what Paul’s suffering was but we know it was bad. It could have been the “wild beasts” in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 15:32), or how he described later the 39 stripes after being brought before a Jewish court (2 Corinthians 11:24), or the riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41) or some physical harm from disease. In these next sentences he calls for us all no matter what we are going through to trust God.
“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” v8. Trust is knowing that the gauge for what God wants us to go through is not our ability to cope.
“Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” v9. Trust begins when we are no longer in control of a circumstance; it does not mean we will not be defeated, but if we are then it means we will re-emerge.
“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us” v10. Trust is based on our past experience giving confidence to our present situation leading to us knowing that in the future He will do it all over again.
“ …as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many” v11. Trust is fuelled by the prayers of others.
(2 Corinthians 1 v 8-11)
Missions Paul 