2 Corinthians 4:7-12 New American Standard Bible 1995
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
That is life, isn’t it?
Here are listed by the Apostle Paul all of the pressures common to man, not removed in the life of a Christian.
It is false that when you become a Christian everything smooths out, and you are given a membership in a flying red carpet club through life, so mysterious bridges suddenly appear over all the chasms, the hurricane winds are tempered for you, and there are no pressures or difficulties to be seen or heard ever again.
What a far cry that is from reality!
The problem is, the pressures are all always going to be there.
This is life in the raw.
Look at these categories:
Hard pressed on every side (afflictions): These are the normal trials which everybody faces, Christian and non-Christian alike.
Your washing machine breaks down on Monday morning, your vehicle breaks down on Tuesday after a long hard day at work, sickness strikes in your family, heartbreaks come, the buffetings, the beatings of life which come to everyone.
They are all so normal, so daily. I tell you, these last several weeks we feel as though we have been fighting twelve rounds a day with young Muhamad Ali!
Perplexities: This refers to all the pressing calls for decisions when we don’t know what to decide.
We are at a loss, we can’t see the end, we don’t know how it is going to turn out.
We are afflicted with fears, anxieties, worries, and uncertainties, all gathered up in this word perplexities.
Persecutions: These are the misunderstandings we all run up against, the ostracisms, the cold shoulders which are shown to us at times, the malicious actions and attitudes, deliberate slights, attacks on our character and our reputation, oftentimes, the bigoted, prejudiced, unfair practices of members of society against one another; character assassinations of modern cancel culture.
These are all shamefully part of Christian life as well as the non-Christian’s.
Struck down: These are the stunning, shattering blows which drop out of the blue into our lives — fired without cause, financial ruin, accidents, acute, fatal illnesses, war, earthquakes, famine, riot, insanity — the terrible episodes which shatter a family or an individual, leave us so very stunned, frightened, baffled.
All these things and more too are all definitely part of normal Christian and non Christian experience.
There is no change in the problems, the pressures, enormity of the challenges.
But look at how the Apostle Paul describes the reactions to those challenge:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but
not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
There is a power within, a transcendent power, different than anything else, which keeps pushing back with equal pressure against whatever comes from without, so that we are not destroyed, not crushed or despairing.
That is what the Christian life is intended to be.
There is no question about it.
We are called to this kind of victorious experience.
Perhaps every one of us who knows Jesus Christ has experienced something of this at times.
Romans 5:6-10 New American Standard Bible 1995
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; [a]though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified [b]by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [c]by His life.
Hebrews 12:1-3 English Standard Version
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
But thanks be to God who is our our Creator, we know how our Savior Christ can undergird us in times of sorrow and strain, but usually it is in the big things, the big shattering things, that we each experience something of the reality of this.
But this is intended to be a constant, continuous experience.
We are to meet the pressures with an answering inner pressure, the life, death and resurrection of Christ not only in the big things but the little things as well.
What Perplexities Did the Apostle Paul NOT Face?
How was Paul able to keep pressing on in the midst of all kinds of affliction?
The most important reason was because he was convinced that God was with him, and that God would open up a way for him in the midst of his troubles.
When you are faced with all sorts of pressure, learn to entrust these things to the Lord and come before Him with an expectant heart.
Just like Moses when he stood by the Red Sea, declared to the people of Israel, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.”
The God whom we believe in is a God who can turn crisis into opportunity.
The disciples panicked when a storm started while they were out at sea.
The sea calmed down once Jesus came.
At the wedding in Cana in Galilee, there was no wine left for the banquet, but Jesus turned water to wine.
Jesus turned the shame of the cross into a glorious symbol.
As long as we entrust our lives to Him and ask God to help us, and as long as we choose to have faith instead of choosing to be negative or complaining, we can see what God can accomplish.
On the other hand, consider this: Paul was able to overcome pressure in the midst of troubles because he had good spiritual companions to support him.
In verses 8 and 9, Paul refers to “we”.
When he was preaching the gospel throughout the region, Timothy and Silas were his co-workers.
When he was in prison, he was accompanied by Epaphroditus and Luke.
It is important to have good spiritual companions in the Christian life.
When in that moment of moments, we are under extreme pressure, what we need the most is not others tell us what to do, but a person whom we can trust and who will understand us and listen to us and constantly remain at our sides.
God put us in the church, so that we can find our spiritual companions in the Lord, with whom we can run the race heavenward together.
May the Spirit of God guide us, help us, to take the initiative to find our spiritual companions in fellowship.
In this way, we can support one another, and learn to lean on God to overcome all kinds of troubles.
Someone once said the pressures within your heart are the driving forces for growth.
But this is only true on one condition — if you are absolutely certain that the Lord is with you and that God will make a way for you.
Right now more than ever, you are really in need of a spiritual companion who can support and encourage you to go forth onto the furnace and move forward!
In the name of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 23 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd,
I [a]shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside [b]quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the [c]paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the [d]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no [e]evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [f]have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 [g]Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will [h]dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.
Lord, I pray that I may learn to accept gladly, cheerfully, and understandingly the experiences which come my way, which force me to rely upon your grace. Lord, we thank you because no matter what circumstance we are in, as long as we have Jesus, the storms can be calmed and our needs can be met. May your Holy spirit give us the passion to live for you and help us find a spiritual companion to walk alongside us. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 