The Gift Of Death In Difficulties

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

 

2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Have you ever gone through a very difficult time in your life?

 

When we go through difficult times, they make us realize the value of life and help us to appreciate the simple things that we took for granted before. When we are restored from such a trial, it is as though we have been given a new beginning. We can place a greater value on what we had before and use it for God's purposes.

Maybe you can recall having an attitude of superiority over those who went through a difficult financial crisis. And because you have never experienced any financial crisis in your life, this pride kept you from identifying with such people—until God brought such a trial into your life.

 

Since then perhaps you have learned that the world and even Christians often treat such people as lepers. Like you, they didn't know how to relate. Now, you appreciate the little things that you never would have valued without that trial. The experience has taught you greater dependence and faith in the provision area of your relationship with God.

When God brings death to one area of life, He resurrects it in a new way. Death works in us to bring new life and new perspectives. These are designed to press us forward in ways that we never would have moved without the experience. God knows how much this is needed in our life to gain the prize He has reserved for each of us. It is His strategic mercy that motivates Him to bring such events into our life.

 

Press into Him, learn of Him, and rely on Him—take the next step of faith!