Do you feel despondent, discouraged, in despair or hopeless? Do you feel almost overwhelmed? Do you feel burdened beyond measure?
Do you feel like you’ve done your very best, and yet your best doesn’t seem to be enough?
Apostle Paul felt ‘burdened beyond measure’ at some point in his life.
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”
2 Corinthians 1:8-11.
But you know, Paul’s troubles didn’t kill him, he didn’t let them. He reminded himself of the covenant of life he had in Christ. Paul remembered all the miracles of Jesus, those of the twelve disciples and even those worked through his own hands. Paul drew strength from reminding himself that his God is the God who raises the dead. There are examples of Jesus raising the dead in scriptures.
Friend, there is hardly any situation worse than death in this life, yet God can reverse death. I think that if God can fix and reverse a death situation, then there’s nothing He cannot fix.
You know, when burdened beyond measure, there can be the temptation to feel like God has abandoned you or to doubt the efficacy of the Word of God. I love it that Paul recognized that God didn’t abandon him in his terrible experience, neither did God want him dead. Paul and his colleagues, realized why they ended up at exactly the point they found themselves……God was teaching them to trust Him……
“Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death [and were convinced that we would die, but this happened] so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.”
2 Corinthians 1:9 AMP
When burdened beyond measure, remember that there is a God who can raise the dead; no circumstance is too hard for Him to handle. Trust in God, depend on God, rely totally on Him. He is able and willing to deliver you from the worst of circumstances. He will restore, renew and strengthen you. You will recover all. He is the God who delivered us, delivers us and continues to deliver us.
Halleluyah!!!