“Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:9)
Read 2 Corinthians 1:1–11.
When hardship strikes, it has a way of consuming our vision. Problems feel all-encompassing, like storm clouds that block out the sun. Paul understood this feeling well. He and his companions faced trials so extreme that they thought death itself was upon them. But in that desperate place, Paul discovered something profound: Suffering can shift our reliance on ourselves onto God.
Jesus said in John 16:32-33, “Look: An hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
When everything else is stripped away, we see more clearly that our strength is never enough — but God’s always is. Trials expose our limits, but they also reveal God’s limitless power. He is the one who raises the dead, who brings hope out of despair, and who carries us when we cannot walk on our own.
What burdens are weighing you down today? Do any feel impossible to bear? What if instead of letting them crush you, you allowed them to deepen your dependence on God? What if your hardship became the very thing that sharpened your perspective, turning your eyes from self-reliance to the one who sustains all things?
This is not to diminish the reality of our struggles. The pain we experience is real. But so is God’s faithfulness. Hardships are not the end of the story; they are reminders to trust the one who holds your story in His hands. A kingdom perspective does not deny suffering; it redefines it.
Prayer
Jesus, when troubles surround me, remind me that You are greater. Let my struggles refine, not define me. Give me a kingdom perspective, trusting that my trials are never the end of the story. In all things, let Your holy angel be with me so that the evil one may have no power over me. Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
