As you reflect God’s glory, others are drawn to Him. Let your face shine and be the light to the world!
Learn to Rely on God
by Joni Eareckson Tada
We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. 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.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT)
We all experience dark passages, times when circumstances become so intense that we wonder if we’ll even survive. The apostle Paul wrote about such an experience to some friends: “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.” Why would God put His apostle through such severe suffering? Paul himself provides the answer: “But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.” Coming out of that experience, Paul would no longer cling to life and rely on his own strength. Instead, he fixed his eyes on God and His power. From that time on, he learned to delight in God alone and in the incomparable future God had reserved for him. That’s what is known as dying to self. It’s also known as really living.
Lord Jesus, I learn from Paul’s words that relying on You is the bottom line in all of life. Suffering, perplexity, overwhelming circumstances, and even death itself are only temporary issues. We deal with them, leaning on Your strength and then we move on. How thankful I am for the inheritance that waits for me just over the horizon!
