During the time of the Apostle Paul's Ephesian ministry (Acts 19:1-20:1) he suffered greatly. Personal dangers, as well as possible imprisonments. Time here will not allow me to share specifically what hardships he faced, but we find him expressing in our text, that he had felt so burdened, and so full of despair, that he felt like giving up.
Have you been there? I think many of us have. I don't have any statistics, but I have read, that around the holidays, and especially after the holidays, the suicide rate goes up. (If I am wrong, I stand corrected)
When the blows of our trials hit us over and over, like an aggressive boxer, we come to a point, where we ask the questions: "What's the use of living any longer?" "How can I take it any more!" "What do we do?"
Read 2 Corinthians 1:9-11, and you will find the best and only answer to those questions.
The answer is to trust in God who is our deliverer. Just as He delivered us from our sins, through His Son, Jesus Christ, He will deliver us from our deep, and desperate trouble.
It is on the Lord, that we set our hope on. And hope will never disappoint, because it is our God who is faithful. And He is faithful all the time! GP
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