"Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us."II Co. 1:9-10
The apostle's desperate situation reduced them to a state of helplessness. They had already gone through a lot and knew how to pray, but the seasoned servants of God had to admit they could not cope on their own. There was no previous pattern or formula that applied to their present circumstances.
When Paul surveyed his situation and asked himself what the end would be, he had to sentence himself to death. It was futile to trust in himself. There was no available human aid. It was all over for him. What a difficult admission for the apostle to make!
Would he blame God and give up? Would persecution drive him to discover a new depth of trust in God? Would the probability of death produce faith for possible resurrection life?
Many Christians face today what Paul and his companions faced in the first century. Persecution continues. The beheadings of people loyal to Jesus, who would rather die than deny their love for Him, takes place today. Forced out of their homes and churches, many run for their lives, Christian communities break apart, but they hold fast to their faith. They are the Diaspora of the 21st century.
DESPERATE TIMES DEVELOP UNUSUAL FAITH. Christians face unexpected challenges to their beliefs everyday. Usual methods of resistance don't always work. When we can't work things out as usual, there is a better chance we will allow God to work things out His way. At that crucial point it is possible to discover a new confidence in God, available only when we no longer think we can handle everything on our own. Unusual times can produce unusual faith.
PRAYER: Lord, when I face things that I can't handle, help me to be honest enough to admit it. May I not be too clever, too proud to totally trust you, even if I should die. At the crucial point , keep me faithful. In Jesus' name, Amen.