QT 5/6/2025 2 Cor 1:3–11, Learning from pain

2 Corinthians 1:3–11 (ESV) —

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

 

NOTE: I have experienced the despairing of life, not in the sense that I was going to die (although maybe once in an airplane), but in the sense that life was too painful to contemplate the future. It was overwhelming and it seemed to offer no hope. And, I too learned that I could not rely on myself but on God. I had to learn that faith was believing that he cared and was working good in my life, even though all the circumstances suggest otherwise. I once wrote in a quiet time (https://qt-notes.blogspot.com/2012/07/qt-23-feb-1988-at-end-of-rope.html) that I was not sure I could take any more "good" -- I wasn't sure I could grow anymore. I wrote that "my family is almost destroyed." But my family and I did survive, and I learned many lessons that I have carried through these last 30-some-years afterwards, that I would not have learned otherwise.

 

It is good to take a step back regularly and ask questions like, God what have you been doing in my life this last year? What have you been teaching me? What am I not seeing? What am I not doing? Where do you want me to go or do in this next season?

 

Take an afternoon off, head out to a quiet place -- I like to pace. Sometimes I will use VR to travel to a country in Europe and just walk the country roads (thanks Google!) and have that discussion with God. We all need to do it regularly.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I ever stop and look back on life?
2. Do I ever stop and ask God questions on how he is working in my life?
3. Do I become so wrapped up with everyday life that I don't find time to ask those questions?

 

PRAYER: Father, l am thankful that you are directing my life. I know you are because I would be doing something different now if it was up to me. But I asked you what you wanted me to do, and you clearly led in this direction. I have two married children who were barren and as soon as I retired they both became pregnant and had children 6 months apart. And now I am part of grandparent daycare. And I am learning that your Son meant it when he said that children are important and do not turn them away. They are special, and thanks for this quiet and hard ministry. I don't think it will last long. In a year or two, new opportunities will probably present, but for now, I am content in your plan.