This Day in History: 0000-08-04

August 4 – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 & 21-22 

…We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.
In fact, we expected to die.
But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.
And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again.
We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.
And you are helping us by praying for us.
Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ.
He has commissioned us, and He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us. 

Have you ever been crushed and overwhelmed beyond your ability to endure? Have you ever faced a trial and thought there was no way you’d live through it? The reality of intimate betrayal and the trial of having to recovery from it felt exactly like that to me. I was utterly crushed. I felt completely overwhelmed. I didn’t know how I was going to keep on breathing. I felt certain this pain would end in death. But, like Paul, I can say that as a result I learned to stop relying on myself and learned to rely only on God. I felt dead inside, but He restored my life, for He is the One who brings dead things back to life! 

How about you? Have you placed your confidence in Him? Is He giving you the strength to endure the storms? Do you believe that He will rescue you? Oh friend, it is God who enables us to stand firm for Christ! As His precious children, He has commissioned us to be a light in this dark world. He has not left us to this task alone, but has given us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit serves as a guarantee that we are His, and enables us to do whatever He has asked of us. It is the Spirit who will see us through the storm. So let’s rely on Him, and lets stand together in prayer. For the earnest prayers of a righteous person accomplish much!