I'm not the kind of person who likes to just open the Bible at random and assume that whatever verse I happen to land on is exactly what God wants to speak into my life at that moment in time. I do believe, however, that there are some days when you just need to go to what's tried and true. Go to the "classics," as it were - the verses that speak to you over and over again, the ones that are highlighted and underlined in your Bible, with notes scribbled in the wrinkled pages, or written on sticky-notes stuck to your bulletin boards and computer screens.
This is one of those days for me. It's one of those days when I don't really want to discover new wisdom, but rather remember old truths, verses that have been a source of comfort for me throughout my 21 years of life. Verses that trickle soothingly over my spirit, and banish the chills in my soul with their warmth, and gently cradle me in their softness like a luxurious blanket. It's a day when I all I want to do is bask in what I already know of God, when I simply want to remember what He has done for me.
But you know what the cool thing about God is? Sometimes even while we are remembering old truths, He teaches us something new, too. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 has always been a wonderful verse for me. It reminds me that God can and will comfort me through whatever trouble I may be going through - so much so, in fact, that He will even give me the ability to comfort others in their distress, as well. He has given me the capacity to empathize with others, and share both our joys and distresses with each other. That's cool. It says, to me, that I will never be alone as long as I allow the God of all comfort to be the Lord of my life.
But today I kept reading beyond verse 7. And I've gotta say, I felt like God was speaking just to me. Now, I cannot say that the pressure I'm under has caused me to "despair of life itself." I'm nowhere near that point, and it would be highly melodramatic to say that. But I am trying to live for the Lord in Asia, far from home, and it can be stressful at times. But He already knew that. That's why He sent me to this verse. That's why He wanted to remind me that others have been in my situation before. And that He got them through it, and will do the same for me. His Word is timeless....but sometimes I'm sure glad when He sends me new nuggets of wisdom from it. Even when I'm not looking for them.
8 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. 9 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. 10 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, 11 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.
This is one of those days for me. It's one of those days when I don't really want to discover new wisdom, but rather remember old truths, verses that have been a source of comfort for me throughout my 21 years of life. Verses that trickle soothingly over my spirit, and banish the chills in my soul with their warmth, and gently cradle me in their softness like a luxurious blanket. It's a day when I all I want to do is bask in what I already know of God, when I simply want to remember what He has done for me.
But you know what the cool thing about God is? Sometimes even while we are remembering old truths, He teaches us something new, too. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 has always been a wonderful verse for me. It reminds me that God can and will comfort me through whatever trouble I may be going through - so much so, in fact, that He will even give me the ability to comfort others in their distress, as well. He has given me the capacity to empathize with others, and share both our joys and distresses with each other. That's cool. It says, to me, that I will never be alone as long as I allow the God of all comfort to be the Lord of my life.
But today I kept reading beyond verse 7. And I've gotta say, I felt like God was speaking just to me. Now, I cannot say that the pressure I'm under has caused me to "despair of life itself." I'm nowhere near that point, and it would be highly melodramatic to say that. But I am trying to live for the Lord in Asia, far from home, and it can be stressful at times. But He already knew that. That's why He sent me to this verse. That's why He wanted to remind me that others have been in my situation before. And that He got them through it, and will do the same for me. His Word is timeless....but sometimes I'm sure glad when He sends me new nuggets of wisdom from it. Even when I'm not looking for them.
2 Corinthians 1:3-11
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in
any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient
endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 8 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. 9 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. 10 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, 11 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.
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