2 Corinthians 1

July 7, 2022

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced... 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.” (v8-11‬a)

Paul is brutally honest about the troubles and trials he’s endured. He even confesses his temptation to despair. But then he explains how his hardships have humbled him, such that he’s had to fully “rely on God,” not himself. And not only does Paul testify to God’s deliverance, but he credits the church family, who helped him through “their prayers” (v11). Even the great Apostle Paul needed the prayers of the church to endure trials.

Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness to help me endure the trials and troubles of these past few months. I can relate to Paul’s confession of being tempted to despair. This has been a tough season. But I can also relate to Paul’s testimony - that You are using these trials to teach me to rely on You, and not myself. Thank You, too, for the prayers of the Body of Christ, which I know are upholding and helping me. What a gift to belong to You and to Your Church.

— Pastor Joshua Brooks

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Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…

Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?