2 Corinthians 1:8-11 – Many Waters
In this chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul confronts trusting in things other than God, and especially trusting in ourselves. The very first portion of this passage describes a deep despair that Paul was facing. He probably has in mind here what happens in Acts chapter 19. Paul spent over two years laboring among the Ephesians, and there was great fruit that was granted to the ministry there. And then, the city turned against Paul and against the gospel so much that Paul had to hide for fear of his life and others of the church were seized and were taken to trial. And Paul describes a despair that came on him because of this. His life’s work seemingly was coming crashing down around him. And you might expect Paul, as one of the superheroes of the Bible, to shed off that bad thing that happened, and with bullets bouncing off his chest and flying through walls, to go and rescue the church and to not lose heart and to go forward with the work of the gospel. But that’s not what Paul describes.He describes his life as being burdened beyond measure, despairing of life, having the sentence of death in his heart. He reveals a side of himself that is at the point of giving up. Do the saints ever despair? Yes, they do. Do they walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Do they wrestle in dark nights, wondering what tomorrow is going to bring and just how am I going to get up and face the day? Do they reach the point of saying, It’s over. Paul had reached that point.But God had a purpose in this. And the purpose was to teach him to place his trust in God.
Self-confidence is idolatry. And God hates idolatry. More than that, God loves you so much that He will not let that idol have sway in your heart. Rather, He would have you cling to Christ and to Him alone. Self-confidence runs deep in us. Sin is something that gets down deep into our hearts. We think of ourselves as being strong. wherever that strength comes from. myself. Paul says do not trust yourself but trust in God. Realize that the opposite of trusting in self is not despair.You might reason that as soon as you stop trusting in yourself that you lose all hope whatsoever. But instead of despair, Paul says, trust in God who raises the dead, and who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us. God is worthy of our trust. Has He delivered you previously? Then take yourself to God. A final application is to pray for each other. The application is to see God at work, to pray for each other in the midst of trial, to see the gift in that trial of fellowship with God and with other believers.
Question
- What was the purpose of Paul’s trial?
Prayer Points
- Pray for those in the church going through various trials.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.